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THE  TARGUMS 

OP 

ONKELOS  AND  JONATHAN  BEN  UZZIEL 
ON  THE  PENTATEUCH; 

WITH  THE  FRAGMENTS  OF  THE 

JERUSALEM  TARGUM: 

PROM  THE  CHALDEE. 


BY 

J.  W.  ETHERIDGE,  M.A., 

TRANSLATOR  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  FROM  THE  PESCHITO  SYRIAC. 


GENESIS  AND  EXODUS. 


For  tills  Law  is  our  Inheritance,  not  only  as  a  lesson  of  memory,  but  as 
a  means  of  knowing  the  Commandment  which  the  Lord  our  God  hath 
commanded  us,  to  learn  and  to  teach,  to  keep  and  to  perform :  for 
this  will  be  our  life,  and  the  prolongment  of  our  days.” 

Mendelssohn. 


LONDON : 

LONGMAN,  GEEEN,  LONGMAN,  AND  ROBERTS. 


1862. 


LONDON : 

PRINTED  BY  WILLIAM  NICHOLS, 
46,  HOXTON  SQUARE. 


2*2.1 
e/fftoE 

J  |8feU- 


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.1 


PATRONS  MEJ5  ET  UXORI, 


ELIS/E, 


PULCHR.2B,  PL2E,  SEMPER  CARISSIM.E ; 
COMPLORATAS, 

YERUNTAMEN  NON  SINE  SPE  CONSTANTI  ET  CERTA ; 


EVANESCE, 


;  TANTUM  DONEC  ASPIEET  DlES,  ET  DIFFUGIANT  UMBRAE. 

1 


A  2 

639910 


INTRODUCTION. 


23 


The  Son  of  God. — De  Agric.  Mark  i.  1.  The  (Seure- 
po?  0eo?)  Second  God,  the  Word. — John  i.  ].  The 
Image  of  God. — De  Mund.  Ojgif.  Col.  i.  15  ;  Heb.  i. 
2.  The  intellectual  sun,  the  light  of  the  world. — De 
Somn.  John  i.  4-9 ;  John  viii.  12.  The  fountain  of 
wisdom. — De  Prof.  John  iv.  14;  vii.  38;  1  Cor.  i. 
24.  He  is  nearest  to  God. — De  Prof.  John  i.  1,  18; 
xvii.  11.  He  is  sent  from  God. — Quis  Per.  Div.  John 
v.  37 ;  viii.  29,  42.  He  is  the  Mediator  standing 
between  the  living  and  the  dead. — Quis  Per.  Div.  1 
Tim.  ii.  5 ;  Heb.  viii.  1-6.  The  High  Priest  [Archi¬ 
ereus). — De  Somn.  Heb.  iv.  14.  The  Healer  of  evils. 
— De  Alleg.  Luke  iv.  18 ;  1  Peter  ii.  24.  The  Advocate 
of  mortal  man. —  Quis  Per.  Rom.  viii.  21 ;  1  John  ii.  1. 
The  Shepherd  of  God’s  flock. — De  Agric.  John  x.  14  ; 
1  Peter  ii.  25.  He  is  possessed  of  regal  power. — De 
Prof.  1  Cor.  xv.  25 ;  Eph.  i.  21,  22 ;  Rev.  xvii.  14. 
He  liberates  men  from  corruption,  and  entitles  them  to 
immortality. — De  Congregat.  Erudit.  Rom.  viii.  21 ; 
1  Cor.  xv.  52,  53  ;  1  Peter  i.  3,  4.  Imparts  spiritual 
freedom. — Ibid.  John  viii.  36.  He  is  the  sure  refuge 
of  those  who  seek  Him. — De  Prof.  Matt.  xi.  28  ;  1  Peter 
ii.  25.  He  is  the  heavenly  bread  of  the  soul. — Fragm. 
John  vi.  32,  35,  It  was  He  who  called  to  Adam  in 
the  garden, — De  Somn. ;  spake  to  Hagar, — De  Cherub. ; 
wrestled  with  Jacob, — De  Norn,  mutand.  ;  and  spoke 
to  Moses  from  the  bush. — De  Somn. 

Now  when  we  consider  that  these  statements  were 
written  by  the  Alexandrian  theologue  some  years  before 
an  evangelist  or  apostle  had  set  pen  to  parchment,  and, 
in  fact,  before  our  Saviour  had  begun  His  public  ministry, 
we  are  shut  up  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Divine 
personality  of  the  Word  was  a  doctrine  already  believed 
among  the  Jews.  In  philosophy,  indeed,  Philo  was  a 
Platonist;  and  many  of  his  speculations  are  strongly 


24 


INTRODUCTION. 


tinged  with  the  colours  of  that  school ;  but  the  Platonic 
learning  never  taught  him  the  wonders  which  lie  has 
recounted  of  the  Eternal  Word.  Philo  was  not  merely 
a  Platonist,  he  was  a  Jew;  and  in  the  theologisms  we 
have  cited  he  gives  expression  to  the  traditional  dogmas 
of  his  own  people. 

We  have  given  these  quotations  from  Philo  and  the 
Targums  to  prove  an  historic  and  incontrovertible  fact, 

— that  the  Jews  of  the  ante-apostolic  age  believed  in  a 
Divine  Personality  in  the  Godhead,  wrhom  they  distin¬ 
guished  from  another  therein  by  the  appellation  of  the 
Word.  On  the  question  whether  they  were  warranted 
in  such  a  belief  by  the  teachings  of  Divine  Revelation,  1 
I  need  not  now  enter.  The  appeal  here  would  be  not 
to  the  Targums,  as  such,  but  to  the  text  of  the  canonical 
Hebrew  Scriptures;  and  he  who  searches  them  wdtli 
intelligence,  and  with  freedom  from  prejudice,  will  be 
sure  to  find  that  they  were  right. 

It  was  this  Divine  Person  who,  with  the  names '  of 
the  Word  and  the  Angel,  appeared,  as  Jehovah,  to  the 
patriarchs:  Gen.  iii.  8-21;  xii.  7.  Compare  xvii.  1; 
xv.  1;  xviii.  1-16,  33;  xix.  17-24;  xxii.  11,12; 
xxvi.  2,  24;  xxviii.  11,  20;  xxxi.  11-13;  xxxii.  24- 
30,  with  Hosea  xii.  4,  5  ;  Gen.  xlviii.  15,  16. 

It  was  He  who  delivered  Israel  from  Egypt,  and 
became  their  Guardian  and  Guide  to  the  promised  land. 
Exod.  iii.  1-14,  with  John  viii.  58 ;  Exod.  xiv.  19,  20; 
xix.  3-11,  16-18;  Acts  vii.  38;  Exod.  xxiii.  20-25  ; 
Isai.  lxiii.  9;  Exod.  xxiv.  9-15;  xxxii.  33,  34; 
xxxiii.  2-4,  14;  xxxiv.  5-7,  10-14;  Joshua  v.  14, 

15 ;  Judges  ii.  1-4.  Compare  this  last  important 
passage  with  Exod.  xxxiv.  10-14;  Judges  vi. 

And  it  was  He  who  wTas  so  often  manifested  in  glory 
and  grace  to  the  prophetic  seers.  Ezek.  i,  28,  with 
ix.  3  ;  xliii.  3,  seq.  Dan.  xii.  1,  with  x.  5,  6.  Jer.  i. 


INTRODUCTION.  25  • 

4,  11,  13,  with  xxiv.  1;  Amos  vii.  7;  ix.  1;  Zech.  i. 
1-13 ;  ii.  6-13;  iii.  1-4;  Mai.  iii.  1-3. 

In  the  study  of  these  texts  good  help  may  be 
obtained  from  Dr.  Pye  Smith's  “  Scripture  Testimony 
to  the  Messiah ; "  and  a  more  compact  Dissertation  of 
J.  J.  Gurney,  in  his  “  Biblical  Notes  on  the  Deity 
of  Christ,"  No.  14.  It  may  be  acceptable  to  the 
student  to  subjoin  here  a  compendium  of  the  biblio¬ 
graphy  on  the  Targums  at  large. 

I.  Principal  Editions. — Onkelos  :  in  the  Polyglots. 
Bononia,  with  the  Commentary  of  Jarchi,  folio,  1482. 
Soria,  1490.  Constantinople,  4to.,  1505.  Wilna,  8vo., 
1852. 

Jonathan,  on  the  Pentateuch  (Palestinian  Targum) : 
in  the  Polyglots.  Venice,  4to.,  1591.  Prague,  1646. 
Basil,  folio,  1607.  Hanau,  8vo.,  1614.  Berlin,  4to., 
1705.  Amsterdam,  1760.  Ostroh,  8vo.,  1826. 

- ,  on  the  Prophets :  Polyglots  and  Rabbinical 

Bibles  of  Venice  and  Basil.  Separate  books  of  the 
Prophets  have  been  published  in  numerous  editions, 
with  and  without  Latin  translations. 

- ,  on  the  Ketuvim  or  Hagiographa :  in  the 

Polyglots  and  Rabbinical  Bibles,  and  in  separate  books ; 
as,  Job,  FraneJcer.,  1663.  Canticles,  Basil.,  1553. 
Esther,  Prague,  1601,  &c.  The  Chaldee  Paraphrase 
on  Chronicles  was  edited  by  Beck  at  Augsburg, 
1680. 

II.  Literature. — Be  OnJceloso  ejusque  Paraphrasi 
Dissertatio ,  Georg .  Benedict  Winer.  Lips.,  4to.,  1820. 

Ben  Zion  Jehuda  Berko witz, — Eteh  Or :  a  Treatise  on 
the  hermeneutical  Rules  of  the  Targum  of  Onkelos. 
Wilna,  8 vo.,  1843. 

Isaiah  Berlin, — Minee  Targuma:  a  Glossary  and 
Commentation  on  the  Targum  of  Onkelos. 


INTRODUCTION. 


.20 


Geor.  Ben.  Winer, — Be  Jonathans  in  Pentateuchum 
Paraphrasi  Chaldaicd.  Erlangen,  1823. 

J.  H.  Peterman n, — Be  Buabus  Pentateuchi  Para - 
phrasibus  Clialdaicis .  Berlin,  1829. 

Walton's  twelfth  Prolegomenon  to  the  Polyglot,  and 
the  extensive  disquisition  of  Wolf  in  the  second  volume 
of  his  Bibliotheca  Hebma .  To  those  who  read  Arabic 
it  may  be  worth  mentioning,  that  the  Abbe  Barges  and 
Dr.  Goldberg  have  recently  edited  the  epistolary  treatise 
of  Rabbi  Jehuda  Ben  Koreisch  on  the  Utility  of  the 
Study  of  the  Targums  :  printed  in  Hebrew  characters. 
Paris  :  Duprat.  This  work  contains  a  valuable  glossary 
of  words  and  terms.  In  the  latter  department  the 
work  of  Phibel  Ben  David — an  Exposition  of  difficult 
Words  in  the  Targums:  Hanover,  1614 — also  deserves 
attention.  The  fifth  chapter  of  the  Gottesdienstlichen 
Vortrdge  der  Juden  of  Dr.  Zunz  is  a  masterly  exposi¬ 
tion  ;  and  in  an  excursus  in  the  work  of  Geiger,  already 
referred  to,  the  TJrschrift  und  TJebersetzungen  der  Bib  el, 
there  will  be  found  an  extensive  collection  of  readings 
from  the  Pentateuch  Targums.  In  Schichard's  Bechi - 
nath  lia-perusliim ,  and  the  Commentary  of  Rittangel  on 
the  Sefer  Jetsira ,  there  are  some  curious  researches, 
which  would  reward  a  few  hours'  reading.  And  on  the 
important  subject  of  the  Memra,  or  Word  of  the  Lord, 
good  collateral  help  is  obtained  in  Jacob  Bryant's 
Treatise  “  On  the  Sentiments  of  Philo  Judaeus,"  Cam¬ 
bridge,  1797.  I  refer  also  with  pleasure  to  the  "In¬ 
quiry  into  the  Doctrine  of  the  Eternal  Sonship  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  by  the  late  Rev.  Richard  Treffry ; 
and  to  an  excellent  compendium  by  the  Rev.  F.  Denham 
in  the  “  Journal  of  Sacred  Literature,"  for  1849. 

As  to  the  question  whether  the  ancient  Hebrew  doc¬ 
tors  identified  the  Memra  or  personal  Word  of  God  with 
the  Messiah,  I  may  not  speak  with  such  confidence. 


INTRODUCTION. 


27 


On  the  one  hand  there  are  passages  in  the  Targums 
which  strongly  imply  that  identity.  Thus  Onkelos,  on 
Num.  xxiii.  21,  reads,  “The  Memra  of  the  Lord  helpeth 
them,  and  the  Shekinah  of  their  King  is  among  them.” 
The  Jerusalem  on  the  same  passage  has,  “The  Memra 
of  the  Lord  is  with  them,  and  a  shout  from  the  glory  of 
their  King  protecteth  them ;  ”  and  the  so-called  Jona¬ 
than  Targum,  “  The  Memra  of  the  Lord  their  God  is  a 
helper  to  them,  and  the  shout  of  the  King  Messiah  is 
heard  among  them.”  (Compare  also  Onkelos  on  Judges 
vi.  11,  13.)  There  is  a  text  also  in  Jonathan  on  Isai. 
xvi.  1,  which  brings  to  mind  the  saying  of  St.  Ste¬ 
phen  in  Acts  vii.,  “This  is  He  who  was  with  the 
church  in  the  wilderness.”  “  They  shall  bring  gifts  to 
the  Messiah  of  the  Israelites  who  shall  be  strong, 
because  He  Himself  was  in  the  wilderness,  the  Bock  of 
the  church  of  Zion.”  On  the  other  hand,  they  some¬ 
times  make  a  distinction  between  the  Memra  and  the 
Messiah,  which  seems  to  forbid  the  idea  of  personal 
identity.  Thus,  Jonathan  on  Isaiah  xlii.  1 :  “  Behold 
My  Servant  the  Messiah :  I  will  draw  nigh  to  Him ; 
My  Chosen,  in  whom  My  Memra  hath  delighted.” 
But  to  the  Messiah  Himself,  the  Prince  and  Deli¬ 
verer  of  Israel  and  the  Bedeemer  of  the  world,  the  Tar¬ 
gums  abound  with  solemn  and  affecting  references.  We 
will  offer  a  conspectus  of  the  principal  passages. 

1.  His  Divine  names.  “  Said  the  prophet  to  the  house 
of  David :  Por  to  us  a  Son  is  born,  to  us  a  Son  is 
given :  and  He  shall  receive  the  Law  upon  Him  to  keep 
it;  and  His  name  is  called  from  of  old.  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  Eloha  the  Mighty,  Abiding  to  Eternity,  the 
Messiah,  because  peace  shall  be  multiplied  upon  us  in 
His  days.”  (Isai.  ix.  6.) 

2.  The  Son  of  David.  “And  there  shall  go  forth  a 

c  2 


28 


INTRODUCTION. 


King  from  the  sons  of  Jesse,  and  the  Messiah  shall  be 
anointed  from  his  children's  children."  (Isai.  xi.  1.) 
Descended  from  Ruth.  “  And  he  said.  Bring  the  cover¬ 
ing  that  is  over  thee,  and  hold  it ;  and  she  held  it ;  and 
he  measured  six  measures  of  barley,  and  placed  them 
upon  her.  And  strength  to  bear  them  came  to  her 
from  before  the  Lord  :  and  forthwith  it  was  spoken  in 
prophecy,  that  hereafter  would  proceed  from  her  the  six 
righteous  ones  of  the  world,  ( zedihey  olma,)  who  should 
each  of  them  be  destined  to  be  blessed  with  six  bless¬ 
ings  :  David,  Daniel  and  his  companions,  and  the  King 
Messiah."  (Ruth  iii.  15.) 

3.  The  Brother  of  Man.  "And  in  that  time  shall 
the  King  Messiah  ( Malka  Mashicha )  be  revealed  to  the 
congregation  of  Israel.  Then  shall  the  children  of 
Israel  say,  Come,  be  Thou  with  us  for  a  Brother."  (Song 
viii.  1.) 

4.  The  Healer  of  the  original  wound .  "  And  I  will 

put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between 
the  seed  of  thy  sons  and  the  seed  of  her  sons.  And  it 
shall  be  when  the  sons  of  the  woman  shall  keep  the 
commandments  of  the  law,  they  will  turn  and  smite  thee 
upon  thy  head ;  but  when  they  forsake  the  command¬ 
ments  of  the  law,  thou  wilt  turn  thyself  and  wound  them 
in  their  heel.  Nevertheless  for  them  there  shall  be 
medicine,  but  for  thee  no  medicine :  and  they  shall 
make  a  remedy  for  the  heel*  in  the  days  of  the  King 
Messiah."  (Gen.  iii.  15.) 

5.  The  Lord  our  Righteousness .  "Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  up  to  David  the 
Messiah  who  is  righteous,  ( tsadikaya ,  righteousness,) 
and  He  shall  reign  a  King,  and  shall  prosper,  and  exe- 

3  Some  translate,  “They  will  be  able  in  the  days  of  the  King 
Messiah  to  make  a  bruise  with  the  heel.”  htn  VDU)  i*  variously  ren¬ 
dered  in  the  lexicons,  contritio,  emplastrum ,  heilmittel. 


INTRODUCTION. 


29 


cute  the  judgment  of  truth  and  justice  in  the  earth.  In 
His  days  they  who  are  of  the  house  of  Jehudah  shall  be 
saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell  safely  :  and  this  is  His 
name  by  which  they  will  invoke  Him,  Eighteousness 
shall  be  wrought  for  us  from  before  the  Lord.”  (Jer. 
xxiii.  5.) 

6.  The  Servant  of  God.  “  Behold  my  Servant,  the 
Messiah.  I  will  bring  Him  near,  my  chosen  One,  in 
whom  my  Word  taketh  delight.  I  will  put  the  Spirit 
of  Holiness  upon  Him ;  my  judgments  to  the  nations 
shall  He  reveal.”  (Isai.  xlii.  I.) 

7.  The  Restorer  of  Israel.  “  The  children  of  Israel 
shall  abide  many  days  without  a  King  of  the  house  of 
David,  and  without  one  who  exerciseth  dominion  over 
Israel,  or  who  offereth  the  sacrifices  of  pleasantness  in 
Jerusalem,  and  without  ephod  or  annunciation.  After¬ 
ward  shall  the  children  of  Israel  return  and  seek  the 
service  of  the  Lord  their  God,  and  be  obedient  to 
Messiah,  the  Son  of  David  their  King :  and  He  shall 
teach  them  the  worship  of  the  Lord,  and  increase  the 
good  that  is  to  come  to  them  at  the  end  of  the  days.” 
(Hosea  iii.  4,  5.) 

“  Their  King  shall  arise  from  their  children,  and  their 
Redeemer  from  among  themselves ;  He  shall  be  among 
them  and  gather  them.”  (Num.  xxiv.  7.) 

“  The  fourth  night  will  be  when  the  world  shall  arrive 
at  its  end  to  be  dissolved :  the  cords  of  the  wicked  shall 
be  consumed,  and  the  iron  yoke  be  broken.  Moses 
will  come  forth  from  the  desert,  and  Messiah  from  the 

high  place . This  is  the  Passover  Night  before  the 

Lord.”  (Exod.  xii.  42.) 

“  What  art  thou  to  be  reckoned,  O  mighty  kingdom, 
before  Zerubbabel  ?  Is  it  not  as  a  plain?  Eor  He 
shall  reveal  His  Messiah  whose  name  is  declared  from 
of  old,  and  He  shall  rule  over  all  kingdoms.”  (Zech.  iv.  7.) 


30 


INTRODUCTION. 


“  Gog  and  Magog  and  their  army  will  go  up  against 
Jerusalem,  but  by  the  hand  of  the  King  Messiah  they 
shall  fall.”  (Num.  xi.  26.) 

“  I  shall  see  Him,  but  not  now ;  I  shall  behold  Him, 
but  not  near,  when  there  shall  reign  a  mighty  King  of 
the  house  of  Jacob,  and  Messiah  be  anointed,  and  a 
strong  sceptre  be  from  Israel.  And  He  shall  kill  the 
princes  of  the  Moabites,  and  all  the  children  of  Sheth, 
the  army  of  Gog  who  will  set  the  ranks  of  war  in  array 
against  Israel;  and  all  their  bodies  will  fall  before  Him. 

. The  first  of  the  nations  who  waged  war  with  Israel 

was  Amalek ;  and  their  end  in  the  days  of  the  King 
Messiah  is  to  set  in  array  the  ranks  of  war,  with  all  the 
sons  of  the  East,  against  the  house  of  Israel ;  but  the 
end  of  the  one  and  the  other  is,  that  they  shall  perish 
for  ever.  Ships  will  be  sent  forth  with  instruments  of 
war,  and  they  shall  go  out  with  many  burden-bearers 
from  the  land  of  Italia,  and  join  themselves  with  the 

legions  who  go  out  from  Constantine: . but  the  end 

of  both  of  them  is  to  fall  by  the  hand  of  the  King 
Messiah  and  perish  for  ever.”  (Num.  xxiv.  20.) 

“  If  any  there  be  of  your  dispersed  ones  in  the  ends  of 
the  heavens,  from  thence  will  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
your  God  gather  you  by  the  hand,  of  Elijah  the  high 
priest,  and  from  thence  will  He  bring  you  by  the  hands 
of  the  King  Messiah.”  (Deut.  xxx.  4.) 

8.  The  King  of  Israel.  “  Now  these  are  the  words  of 
the  prophecy  of  David  which  he  prophesied  concerning 
the  end  of  the  world,  concerning  the  days  of  consolation 
which  are  hereafter  to  come :  David  the  Son  of  Jesse 

said, . The  God  of  Israel  spake  by  me,  the  Mighty 

One  of  Israel  who  ruleth  among  the  sons  of  men,  judg¬ 
ing  truly,  said  that  lie  would  set  up  to  me  a  King  who 
is  Messiah,  that  hereafter  shall  come  and  rule  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord.”  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  1-3.) 


INTRODUCTION. 


31 


“  Thou  wilt  prolong  the  days  of  the  King  Messiah,  and 
His  years  as  the  generations  of  the  world,  and  the  gene¬ 
rations  of  the  world  to  come.  He  shall  abide  before 

the  Lord  for  ever . So  will  I  glorify  thy  name  when 

I  shall  perform  my  vows  in  the  day  of  the  redemption 
of  Israel,  and  in  the  day  that  the  King  Messiah  is 
anointed  to  rule.”  (Psalm  lxi.  7-9.) 

9.  The  Gatherer  of  the  Nations ,  and  the  King  of  the 
World.  “  There  shall  not  cease  kings  from  the  house  of 
Jehudah,  nor  scribes  teaching  the  Law  from  his  chil¬ 
dren's  children,  until  the  time  when  the  King  Messiah 
shall  come,  whose  is  the  kingdom,  and  to  Him  are  all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  to  be  subject.  How  beau¬ 
teous  is  the  King  Messiah  who  shall  arise  from  the 
house  of  Jehudah  !  ”  (Gen.  xlix.  10.) 

ee  My  heart  produceth  a  good  thing :  I  will  speak  of 
the  work  of  the  King ;  my  tongue  is  like  the  pen  of  a 
swift  writer.  Thy  beauty,  O  King  Messiah,  is  more  than 
that  of  the  sons  of  men ;  the  spirit  of  prophecy  is 
ingiven  to  Thy  lips,  because  the  Lord  hath  blessed  Thee 

for  ever . The  throne  of  Thy  glory,  0  God,  ( Yeya ,) 

shall  stand  for  ever  and  ever;  a  sceptre  of  grace  is  the 
sceptre  of  Thy  kingdom.  Because  Thou  hast  loved  jus¬ 
tice  and  hated  wickedness,  therefore  the  Lord  Thy  God 
hath  anointed  Thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  Thy 
fellows.”  (Psalm  xlv.  1-8.) 

Such,  on  the  evidence  of  these  venerable  documents, 
was  the  faith  of  Israel  of  olden  ages  in  the  majesty  and 
mediatorial  glory  of  their  Saviour  and  King ;  and  such, 
though  with  various  drawbacks  and  darkening  influ¬ 
ences,  is  substantially  the  expectant  faith  of  the  pious  in 
Israel  at  the  present  time.  Unhappily,  however,  too 
many  among  the  modern  Jews  have  declined  from  the 
hope  of  their  fathers,  and  exchanged  the  heavenly  light 


INTRODUCTION. 


32 

of  faith  in  the  revealed  promises  of  God  for  the  ignis 
fatuus  of  infidel  rationalism,  and  the  poor  dreams  of 
secular  aggrandizement  with  their  Gentile  neighbours. 
Yet  may  we  hope  that  this  forlorn  infidelity  is  not  the 
last  reprobate  condition  of  any  of  them;  and  most 
ardently  should  we  pray  that  the  breath  of  God  may 
come  upon  them,  to  renew  them  to  repentance.  Tor 
though  the  veil  is  indeed  to  this  very  day  upon  the 
national  heart,  we  read  in  the  sure  oracles  of  mercy  that 
when  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  shall  be  taken 
away.  Nor  are  there  wanting  among  them  many  who 
desire  such  a  consummation  more  devoutly  than  we 
ourselves  do ;  many,  in  whose  prayerful  bosoms  live 
those  solemn  presentiments  and  spirit-stirring  vows 
which  find  expression  from  year  to  year  in  their  old 
Litany  of  the  Hosannas. 

“  Por  Thy  sake,  0  our  God,  save  us.  Por  Thy  sake, 
O  our  Creator,  save  us.  Por  Thy  sake,  O  our 
Redeemer,  save  us.  Por  Thy  sake,  O  Thou  who  wilt 
seek  for  us,  save  us. 

“  Por  the  sake  of  Thy  truth ;  for  the  sake  of  Thy 
covenant ;  for  the  sake  of  Thy  greatness  and  Thy  glory ; 
for  the  sake  of  Thy  law,  Thy  institutions,  and  Thy 
memorial ;  for  the  sake  of  Thy  mercy  and  goodness. 
Thy  unity  and  Thy  honour,  Thy  kingdom.  Thy  strength, 
and  Thy  glory ;  for  the  sake  of  Thy  holiness  and  the 
sake  of  Thy  praise ;  O  save  Thy  people. 

“As  the  eyes  of  servants  look  up  to  the  master  for 
help,  so  we  come  before  Thee  for  protection,  we  look  up 
to  Thee  for  succour;  for  the  contenders  have  striven 
with  us,  and  we  are  trodden  under  foot.  Save  us,  O 
God  our  Saviour  ! 

"  O  Everlasting,  build  in  mercy.  Save  the  founda¬ 
tion  stone,  even  the  chosen  house,  the  threshing-floor  of 
Arnon,  the  hidden  oracle.  Mount  Moriah,  and  the  mount 


INTRODUCTION. 


33 


where  it  shall  be  seen ;  Thy  glorious  habitation  in  the 
city  where  David  dwelt,  goodly  Lebanon,  the  beautiful 
clime,  the  joy  of  all  the  earth,  the  perfection  of  beauty, 
the  dwelling  of  righteousness,  the  tranquil  habitation, 
the  tabernacle  of  peace;  whither  the  tribes  went  up; 
the  precious  corner-stone,  resplendent  Zion,  the  holy  of 
holies,  paved  with  love.  Thy  glorious  presence,  for  the 
heap  of  sharp-pointed  armour.  Save  us  now. 

“  The  voice  of  him  (Elijah)  who  bringeth  glad  tidings 
and  saith,  Thy  salvation  will  I  confirm  when  He  (the 
Messiah)  cometh.  It  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved 
coming : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  Him  who  cometh  with  myriads  of 
saints,  standing  on  the  Mount  of  Olives : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  Him  (Messiah)  when  He  cometh 
at  the  sound  of  the  great  trumpet,  when  the  mountain 
will  divide : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  my  Beloved  that  knocketh,  and 
shineth  forth  from  Seir,  and  the  mountains  of  the  East 
shall  divide : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

u  It  is  the  voice  of  Elijah  proclaiming  redemption, 
and  the  Messiah  coming  with  all  His  holy  ones  with 
Him  : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  the  Bathkol  thundering  from  Zion, 
proclaiming  freedom  to  the  whole  world : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  Salvation  proclaiming  the  welcome 
time  of  the  earth's  acknowledging  the  Oneness  of  His 
Name : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

c  5 


34 


INTRODUCTION. 


“  It  is  the  voice  of  the  Mighty  One  of  heaven  and 
earth,  exclaiming,  Can  a  nation  be  born  at  once  ? 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  proclaiming  the  time  of  redemption, 
when  the  people  shall  see  light,  and  it  shall  come  to 
pass  at  eventide  there  shall  be  light : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  to  make  glad  the  Rose  of  Sharon ; 
for  they  shall  rise  who  sleep  in  Hebron : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“It  is  the  voice  of  the  Man  whose  name  is  the 
Branch  : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“It  is  the  voice  proclaiming,  Arise  from  the  dust, 
awake,  and  sing,  ye  who  dwell  in  the  dust : 

“  And  I  will  declare  the  glad  tidings. 

“  It  is  the  voice  of  granting  salvation  to  His  people 
for  ever,  even  to  David,  and  to  his  children  for  ever¬ 
more.” — Order  of  the  Hosanna  Rahha. 

“Who  is  a  God  like  unto  Thee,  that  pardoneth 
iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgression  of  the  rem¬ 
nant  of  His  heritage  ?  He  retaineth  not  His  anger  for 
ever,  because  He  delighteth  in  mercy.  He  will  turn 
again ;  He  will  have  compassion  upon  us ;  He  will 
subdue  our  iniquities,  and  Thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins 
into  the  depths  of  the  sea.  Thou  wilt  perform  the 
truth  unto  Jacob,  and  the  mercy  to  Abraham,  which 
Thou  hast  sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days  of  old.” 

bt nto?  yntf 


THE  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


ON 

THE  BOOK  BERESHITH 

OB 

GENESIS. 


SECTION  I. 

BERESHITH  BARA  ELOHIM. 

I.  In  the  first  times3  the  Lord  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth.  And  the  earth  was  waste  and  empty, 
and  darkness  was  upon4  the  face  of  the  abyss ;  and  a 
wind  from  before  the  Lord  blew  upon  the  face  of  the 
waters.  And  the  Lord  said.  Let  there  be  light ;  and 
there  was  light.  And  the  Lord  saw  the  light  that  it  was 
good.  And  the  Lord  distinguished  between  the  light 
and  between  the  darkness.  And  the  Lord  called  the 
light  the  Day,  and  the  darkness  He  called  the  Night. 
And  there  was  evening,  and  there  was  morning,  Day 
the  Eirst. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  there  be  an  expanse  in  the 
midst  of  the  waters,  and  let  it  distinguish  between 
waters  and  waters.  And  the  Lord  made  the  expanse, 
and  distinguished  between  the  waters  which  were  under 

3  Be-kadmin,  “  in  antiquities.”  This  expression,  when  used,  as  here, 
in  the  plural,  is  sometimes  put  for  “eternity.”  Compare  Onkelos  on 
Deut.  xxxiii.  27,  JEloha  de-milkadmin ,  “  the  Eternal  God,”  or,  “  God 

who  is  from  eternity,”  with  Jonathan  on  Micah  v.  2,  “Messiah,, . 

whose  name  is  called  ( milkadmin )  from  eternity.” 

4  Some  copies,  “  Darkness  was  outspread  upon  the  face,”  &c. 


36  TARGTJM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

the  expanse,  and  between  the  waters  which  were  above 
the  expanse :  and  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  called  the 
expanse  the  Heavens.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was 
morning,  the  Second  Day. 

And  the  Lord  said,  The  waters  shall  be  collected 
under  the  heavens  into  one  region,  and  the  dry  land 
shall  appear.  And  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  called  the 
dry  land  Earth,  and  the  place  of  the  collection  of  waters 
He  called  Sea.  And  the  Lord  saw  that  it  was  good. 
And  the  Lord  said,  The  earth  shall  bring  forth  grass ; 
the  plant  whose  germ-seed5  is  to  be  sown  ;  the  fruit-tree 
making  fruit  according  to  its  kind,  whose  germ-seed*  is 
in  it  upon  the  earth  ; — and  it  was  so.  And  the  earth 
put  forth  grass  ;  the  herb,  whose  germ-seed  is  sown  after 
its  kind ;  and  the  tree  making  fruit,  whose  seed  is  in  it 
after  its  kind.  And  the  Lord  saw  that  it  was  good. 
And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morning,  Day  the  Third. 

And  the  Lord  said.  There  shall  be  Lights  in  the 
expanse  of  heaven,  to  distinguish  between  the  day  and 
the  night ;  and  they  shall  be  for  signs  and  for  times, 
for  the  numbering  of  days  and  years.  And  they  shall 
be  for  luminaries  in  the  expanse  of  heaven  to  shine 
upon  the  earth  ; — and  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  made 
the  two  great  luminaries :  the  greater  luminary  to  rule 
in  the  day;0  and  the  smaller  luminary  to  rule  in  the 
night,  and  the  stars.  And  the  Lord  set  them  in  the 
expanse  of  heaven  to  shine  upon  the  earth,  and  to  rule 
in  the  day  and  in  the  night,  and  to  distinguish 
between  light  and  darkness.  And  the  Lord  saw  that 
it  was  good.  And  there  was  evening,  and  there  was 
morning,  Day  the  Fourth. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  the  waters  generate7  the 

5  Lit.,  “  Son-seed.” 

*  Samaritan  Version,  “  the  plenitude  of  the  greater  light.” 

7  “  Swarm  with,  produce  abundantly.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


37 


I*] 

moving  creature  (having)  life  ;  and  the  fowl  which 
flieth  over  the  earth  on  the  face  of  the  expanse  of 
heaven.  And  the  Lord  created  the  great  taninia  and 
every  living  animal  which  moveth,  which  the  waters 
generated  according  to  their  kind,  and  every  fowl  which 
flieth  according  to  his  kind ;  and  the  Lord  saw  that  it 
was  good.  And  the  Lord  blessed  them,  saying,  Spread 
abroad  and  become  many,  and  fill  the  waters  of  the 
seas ;  and  let  the  fowl  become  many  on  the  earth.  And 
it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morning,  Day  the  Lifth. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  the  earth  produce  the  living 
animal  after  its  kind,  cattle,  and  reptile,  and  beast  of 
the  earth,  according  to  its  kind  ; — and  it  was  so.  And 
the  Lord  made  the  beast  of  the  earth  after  its  kind,  and 
cattle  after  their  kind,  and  every  reptile  of  the  earth 
after  its  kind;  and  the  Lord  saw  that  it  was  good. 
And  the  Lord  said,  Let  ns  make  Man  in  Our  image,  as 
Our  likeness;  and  they  shall  have  dominion  over  the 
fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and 
over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth,  and  over  every 
reptile  which  moveth  upon  the  earth.  And  the  Lord 
created8  the  Adam  in  His  image,  in  the  image  of  the 
Lord9  He  created  him ;  male  and  female  He  created 
them.  And  the  Lord  blessed  them,  and  said  to  them. 
Spread  abroad,  and  become  many,  and  fill  the  earth,  and 
be  strong  upon  it ;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of 
the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and  over 
every  living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth.  And 
the  Lord  said,  Behold,  I  have  given  to  you  every  plant 
which  seedetli  germ-seed  which  is  upon  all  the  earth ; 
and  every  tree  in  which  is  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which 
seedeth  germ -seed ;  unto  you  it  shall  be  for  food,  and 
unto  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  to  every  fowl  of 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  "  fashioned.” 

9  Some  copies,  “  in  the  image  of  Elohim.” 


38 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 

the  heavens,  and  to  every  reptile  upon  the  earth  in 
which  is  the  breath  of  life,  every  green  herb  to  eat ;  and 
it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  saw  all  that  He  had  made, 
and,  behold,  it  was  very  steadfast.  And  it  was  evening, 
and  it  was  morning,  Day  the  Sixth. 

II.  And  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and  all  their  host 
were  completed.  And  the  Lord  finished  in  the  Seventh 
Day  His  work  which  He  had  wrought,  and  rested  in  the 
Seventh  Day  from  all  His  work  which  He  had  wrought. 
And  the  Lord  blessed  the  Seventh  Day  and  made  it 
holy,  because  in  it  He  rested  from  all  His  work  which 
the  Lord  had  created  to  make.  These  are  the 
memorials1  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  when  they 
were  created  in  the  day  when  the  Lord  God  made  the 
earth  and  the  heavens.  And  all  trees  of  the  field  were 
not  yet  in  the  earth,  and  every  herb  of  the  field  had  not 
yet  sprung  up,  because  the  Lord  God  had  not  caused 
rain  to  come  upon  the  earth,  and  there  was  no  man  to 
cultivate  the  ground.  And  a  mist2  ascended  from  the 
earth,  and  moistened  all  the  face  of  the  ground.  And 
the  Lord  God  created  Adam  from  dust  of  the  ground, 
and  breathed  upon  his  face  the  breath  of  lives,  and  it 
became  in  Adam  a  Discoursing  Spirit.  And  the  Lord 
God  planted  a  garden  in  a  region  of  pleasantness8  in  the 
time  of  the  beginning,  and  He  made  to  dwell  there  the 
man  whom  He  had  created.  And  the  Lord  God  caused 
to  grow  from  the  earth  every  tree  desirable  to  look  upon, 
and  good  for  food,  and  the  Tree  of  Life  (Lives)  in  the 
midst  of  the  garden,  and  the  Tree  of  whose  fruit  they 
who  eat  know  between  good  and  evil.  And  a  river 
went  forth  from  Eden  to  water  the  garden,4  and  from 
thence  it  was  divided  and  became  four  heads  of  rivers 6 

1  Toledath ,  “  recitals,  history.”  a  Or,  **  cloud.” 

s  Or,  “  in  Eden.”  Distinguish  between  the  region  and  the  garden. 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  "  Paradise.”  5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  islands.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


39 


U.] 

(or  four  chief  rivers).  The  name  of  the  first  is  Pishon,6 
that  which  encompasseth  all  the  land  of  Havilah,  where 
is  gold ;  and  the  gold  of  that  land  is  good ;  there  is 
bedalcha  and  burilla-stones.  And  the  name  of  the 
second  river  is  Gichon,7  which  encompasseth  all  the 
land  of  Kush.8  And  the  name  of  the  third  river  is 
Digelath,9  which  goeth  to  the  east  of  Athur.1  And  the 
fourth  river  is  Pherat.  And  the  Lord  God  took  Adam 
and  placed  him  in  the  garden  of  Eden  to  culture  it  and 
keep  it.  And  the  Lord  God  commanded  Adam,  saying. 
Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  eating  thou  mayest  eat ;  but 
of  the  tree  of  whose  fruit  they  who  eat  know  between 
good  and  evil  thou  shalt  not  eat ;  for  in  the  day  that 
thou  eatest  of  it  dying  thou  shalt  die.2  And  the  Lord 
God  said,  It  is  not  right  that  Adam  should  be  solitary ; 
I  will  make  for  him  a  helper  as  for  his  sake  (or,  as 
suited  to  him  :  Hebrew,  kenegdo ,  as  his  counterpart). 
And  the  Lord  God  created  from  the  earth  every  beast 
of  the  field  and  every  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and  brought 
them  to  Adam  to  see  what  he  would  call  him;  and 
every  (name  by)  which  Adam  called  the  living  animal, 
that  wras  its  name.  And  Adam  called  the  name  of  all 
cattle,  and  of  the  fowl  of  the  heaven,  and  of  every 
beast  of  the  field ;  but  to  Adam  was  not  found  a 
helper  as  for  him.  And  the  Lord  God  threw  a  sleep 
upon  Adam,  and  he  slept ;  and  He  took  one  of  his 
ribs,  and  filled  with  flesh  in  place  thereof ;  and  the  Lord 
God  builded  the  rib  which  He  took  from  Adam  into 
Woman,  and  He  brought  her  unto  Adam.  And  Adam 
said,  This  now  (this  time)  is  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh 
of  my  flesh :  this  shall  be  called  Woman,  because  from 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Phison-kadoph.”  7  Sam.  Vers.,  “Askoph.” 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Chophin.”  9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Kephlosah.” 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Kingdom  of  Hatsphu.” 

2  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Consuming  thou  shalt  be  consumed.” 


40  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

her  husband  this  was  taken.  Therefore  shall  a  man 
forsake  the  couch  ( beth  mishkebf  the  sleeping-house)  of 
his  father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife, 
and  they  shall  be  of  one  flesh.  And  they  were  both 
naked,  Adam  and  his  wife,  and  were  not  ashamed. 

III.  And  the  serpent  (cfrivja)  was  more  crafty  than 
all  the  animals  of  the  field  which  the  Lord  God  had 
made.  And  he  said  to  the  woman,  Is  it  in  truth  (that) 
the  Lord  said,  You  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ?  And  the  woman  said  to  the  serpent,  Of  the 
fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden  we  may  eat ;  but  of  the 
fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,* 
the  Lord  hath  said.  You  shall  not  eat  of  it,  nor 
approach  to  it,  lest  you  die.4  And  the  serpent  said  to 
the  woman,  Not  to  die  will  you  die :  for  it  is  manifest 
before  the  Lord,  that  in  the  day  in  which  you  eat  of  it 
your  eyes  will  be  opened,  and  you  will  be  ( ki-rabrebin ) 
as  the  Great-ones,  knowing  good  and  evil.  And  the 
woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  to  eat,  and  that  it 
was  salutary  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  desirable  to  con¬ 
template  ;  and  she  took  of  its  fruitage  ( aiba )  and  ate ; 
and  she  gave  to  her  husband  with  her,  and  he  ate. 
And  the  eyes  of  both  of  them  were  opened,  and  they 
knew  that  they  were  naked ;  and  they  sewed  for  them¬ 
selves  the  leaves  of  the  fig-tree,  and  made  for  them¬ 
selves  cinctures.  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the  garden  in  the 
evening  of  the  day ; 6  and  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  them¬ 
selves  from  before  the  Lord  God  among  the  trees  of 
the  garden.  And  the  Lord  God  called  to  Adam  and 
said  to  him,  Where  art  thou  ?  And  he  said.  The 
voice  of  Thy  Word  heard  I  in  the  garden,  and  I  was 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  **  Paradise.”  4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  be  consumed.” 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “calling  them  in  Paradise  in  the  breathing  of  the 
day.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


41 


111.] 


afraid,  because  I  (was)  naked,  and  I  would  hide.  And 
He  said,  Who  showed  thee  that  thou  wast  naked  ? 
Of  the  tree  of  which  I  commanded  that  eating  of  it 
thou  shouldst  not  eat,  hast  thou  eaten  ?  And  Adam 
said.  The  woman  whom  Thou  gavest  (to  be)  with  me, 
she  gave  to  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.  And  the 
Lord  God  said  to  the  woman.  What  is  this  that  thou 
hast  done  ?  And  the  woman  said,  The  serpent  led  me 
astray,  and  I  did  eat.  And  the  Lord  God  said  to  the 
serpent,  Because  thou  hast  done  this,  more  accursed 
art  thou  than  all  cattle,  and  than  all  the  beasts  of  the 
field  ;  upon  thy  belly  slialt  thou  go,  and  the  dust  shalt 
thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And  I  will  put 
enmity  between  thee  and  between  the  woman,  and 
between  thy  son  and  her  son.  He  will  remember  thee, 
what  thou  didst  to  him  (at)  from  the  beginning,  and 
thou  shalt  be  observant  unto  him  at  the  end. 

And  to  the  woman  He  said.  Multiplying,  I  will 
multiply  thy  sorrows  and  thy  pains.  In  sorrow  shalt 
thou  bring  forth  children ;  and  unto  thy  husband  shall 
be  thy  desire,  and  he  shall  rule  over  thee.  And  unto 
Adam  He  said.  Because  thou  hast  obeyed  the  word  of 
thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree  (about)  which  I 
commanded  thee,  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it, 
accursed  is  the  ground  on  thy  account.  With  labour 
shalt  thou  eat  from  it  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  Thorns 
and  thistles  it  shall  put  forth  for  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
eat  the  herb  of  the  field.  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face 
shalt  thou  eat  bread,  until  that  thou  return  to  the 
earth,  because  from  it  thou  wast  created ;  for  dust  thou 
art,  and  to  dust  thou  wilt  return.  And  Adam  called 
the  name  of  his  wife  Hava,  because  she  was  the  mother 
of  all  the  children  of  men.  And  the  Lord  God  made 
for  Adam  and  for  his  wife  vestments  of  honour  upon 
the  skin  of  their  flesh,  and  clothed  them.  And  the 


42 


TARGTJM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 


Lord  God  said,  Behold,  man  is  become  singular  (or 
alone/  yechid )  in  the  world  by  himself,  knowing  good 
and  evil ;  and  now,  lest  he  stretch  forth  his  hand  and 
take  also  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  and  eat,  and  live  for  ever ; 

. and  the  Lord  God  sent  him  forth  from  the  garden 

of  Eden  to  till  the  ground  from  whence  he  had  been 
created.  And  He  drove  out  the  man,  and  before  the 
garden  of  Eden  he  caused  to  dwell  the  kerubaya ,  and 
the  sharp  sword  which  revolved  to  keep  the  way  of  the 
Tree  of  Life. 

IY.  And  Adam  knew  Hava  his  wife,  and  she  con¬ 
ceived,  and  gave  birth  to  Kain ;  and  she  said,  I  have 
acquired  the  man  from  before  the  Lord.  And  she 
added  to  give  birth  to  his  brother,  Habel.  And  Habel 
was  a  shepherd  of  the  flock,  and  Kain  a  man  working 
on  the  ground.  And  it  was  at  the  end  (or  comple¬ 
ment)  of  days,  that  Kain  brought  of  the  product  of  the 
earth  an  oblation  before  the  Lord ;  and  Habel  he 
brought  also  of  the  first-born  of  his  sheep  and  of  their 
fatlings.  And  there  was  acceptableness  before  the 
Lord  in  Habel  and  in  his  oblation ;  but  in  Kain  and 
his  oblation  there  was  not  acceptableness.  And  it  was 
greatly  displeasing  to  Kain,  and  his  countenance  was 
downcast.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Kain,  Why  art  thou 
displeased,  and  why  is  thy  countenance  downcast  ?  If 
thou  doest  thy  work  well,  is  it  not  remitted  to  thee  ? 
and  if  thou  doest  not  thy  work  well,  thy  sin  unto  the 
day  of  judgment  is  reserved,  when  it  will  be  exacted  of 
thee,  if  thou  convert  not :  but  if  thou  convert,  it  is 
remitted  to  thee.  And  Kain  spake  with  Habel  his 
brother ;  and  it  was  in  their  being  in  the  field  that 
Kain  arose  against  Habel  his  brother,  and  killed  him. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  Kain,  Where  is  Habel  thy 
brother  ?  And  he  said,  I  know  not ;  am  I  the  keeper 
c  Sam.  Vers.,  “  as  a  branch.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


43 


IV.] 


of  my  brother  ?  And  He  said,  What  hast  thou  done  ? 
The  voice  of  the  blood  of  generations  which  were  to 
come  from  thy  brother  complaineth  before  Me  from  the 
earth  !  And  now,  accursed  art  thou  from  the  earth, 
which  hath  opened  her  mouth  and  received  the  blood 
of  thy  brother  from  thy  hand.  When  thou  tillest  the 
earth,  it  shall  not  add  to  give  its  virtue  to  thee ;  a  casta¬ 
way  and  a  wanderer  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth.  And 
Kain  said  before  the  Lord,  Greater  is  my  guilt  than 
may  be  forgiven.  Behold,  Thou  hast  rejected  me  this 
day  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  from  Thy  presence 
it  is  not  possible  to  hide ;  and  I  shall  be  a  castaway 
and  a  wanderer  in  the  earth,  and  any  one  who  findeth 
me  will  slay  me.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him.  There¬ 
fore  any  one  who  killeth  Kain, — unto  seven  generations 
it  shall  be  exacted  of  him.  And  the  Lord  set  unto 
Kain  a  sign,  lest  any  one  who  found  him  should  kill 
him.  And  Kain  went  out  from  before  the  Lord,  and 
dwelt  in  the  land  of  the  wanderer  and  outcast,7  which 
was  made  for  him  in  the  beginnings  in  the  garden  of 
Eden.  And  Kain  knew  his  wife,  and  she  conceived 
and  bare  Hanoch,  and  he  became  the  builder  of  a  city, 
and  called  the  name  of  the  city  after  the  name  of  his 
son  Hanoch.  And  there  was  born  to  Hanoch  Irad, 
and  Irad  begat  Mahujael  ;8  and  Mahujael  begat  Methu- 
sael,  and  Methusael  begat  Lemek.  And  Lemek  took 
unto  him  two  wives,  the  name  of  the  one  Ada,  and  the 
name  of  the  second  Zillah.  And  Ada  bare  Javal ;  he 
was  the  master  (rab)  of  all  dwellers  in  tents  and  lords 
of  cattle.  And  the  name  of  his  brother  was  Juval.  He 
was  the  master9  of  all  who  play  upon  the  mouth  of  the 
pipe,  who  know  the  song  of  the  harp  and  of  the  organ. 
And  Zillah  also,  she  bare  Tuval-kain,  the  master  of 


7  Sam.  Vers.,  “the  Land  of  Keli.”  8  Sam.  Vers.,  “Mihal.” 
9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  prince,”  or  “  chief.” 


44 


TAKGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

all  them  who  understand  the  working  of  brass  and 
iron.1  And  the  sister  of  Tuval-kain  was  Naamah.* 
And  Lemek  said  to  his  wives  Ada  and  Zillah,  Hear  my 
voice,  wives  of  Lemek,  attend  to  my  words :  I  have  not 
slain  a  man,  that  on  his  account  I  should  bear  the  con¬ 
demnation  of  death ;  or  destroyed  a  young  man,  that  on 
his  account  my  posterity  should  be  consumed.  If 
seven  generations  are  suspended  unto  Kain,  will  there 
not  be  to  Lemek  his  son  seventy  and  seven  ?  And 
Adam  knew  yet  his  wife,  and  she  bare  a  son,  and  called 
his  name  Sheth ;  Because,  said  she,  the  Lord  hath  given 
me  another  son  instead  of  Habel,  whom  Kain  slew. 
And  to  Sheth  also  was  born  a  son,  and  he  called  his 
name  Enosh.  Then  in  his  days  the  sous  of  men  de¬ 
sisted  (or  forbore)  from  praying  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

V.  This  is  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam. 
In  the  day  that  the  Lord  God  created  man,  in  the 
resemblance  of  Elohim3  He  made  him  ;  male  and  female 
He  created  them ;  and  He  blessed  them,  and  called  their 
name  Man,  in  the  day  that  they  were  created.  And 
Adam  lived  a  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  begat  in 
his  resemblance  (one)  who  was  like  to  himself,  and  he 
called  his  name  Sheth.  And  the  days  of  Adam  after 
he  had  begotten  Sheth  4  were  eight  hundred  years,  and 
he  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of 
Adam  which  he  lived  were  nine  hundred  and  thirty 
years,  and  he  died. 

And  Sheth  lived  a  hundred  and  five  years,  and  begat 
Enosh.  And  Sheth  lived  after  he  had  begotton  Enosh 
eight  hundred  and  seven  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Sheth  were  nine 
hundred  and  twelve  years,  and  he  died. 


1  Sam.  Vers.,  “who  melt  and  conjoin.”  3  Sam.  Vers.,  “Zalkipha.” 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “of  Angels.” 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  after  he  had  begotten  his  substitute  ”  ( chalipha ). 


ON  GENESIS. 


45 


v.] 


And  Enosh  lived  ninety  years,  and  begat  Keinan. 
And  Enosh  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Keinan  eight 
hundred  and  fifteen  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 
And  all  the  days  of  Enosh  were  nine  hundred  and  five 
years,  and  he  died. 

And  Keinan  lived  seventy  years,  and  begat  Mahalalel. 
And  Keinan  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Mahalalel 
eight  hundred  and  forty  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Keinan  were  nine 
hundred  and  ten  years,  and  he  died. 

And  Mahalalel  lived  sixty  and  five  years,  and  begat 
Jered.  And  Mahalalel  lived  after  he  had  begotten 
Jered  eight  hundred,  and  thirty  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Mahalalel  were 
eight  hundred  and  ninety  and  five  years,  and  he  died. 

And  Jered  lived  an  hundred  and  sixty  and  two  years, 
and  begat  Hanok.  And  Jered  lived  after  he  had 
begotten  Hanok  eight  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Jared  were  nine 
hundred  and  sixty  and  two  years,  and  he  died. 

And  Hanok  lived  sixty  and  five  years,  and  begat 
Methushelaeh.  And  Hanok  walked  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,5  after  he  had  begotten  Methushelaeh,  three  hun¬ 
dred  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all 
the  days  of  Hanok  were  three  hundred  and  sixty  and 
five  years.  And  Hanok  walked  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord ;  and  he  was  not ;  for  the  Lord  had  not  made 
him  to  die* 

And  Methushelaeh  lived  an  hundred  and  eighty  and 
seven  years,  and  begat  Lemek.  And  Methushelaeh 
lived  after  he  had  begotten  Lemek  seven  hundred  and 
eighty  and  two  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 


*  Peshito  Syriac :  “  and  Henok  pleased  God,  after,”  &c. 

*  Peshito,  cf  Aloha  took  him.”  Samaritan  Version,  “the  Angel 

took  him.” 


46  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

And  all  the  days  of  Methushelach  were  nine  hundred 
and  sixty  and  nine  years,  and  he  died. 

And  Lemek  lived  a  hundred  and  eighty  and  two 
years,  and  begat  a  son.  And  he  called  his  name 
Noach,  saying,  This  shall  console  us  from  the  works 
and  from  the  labour  of  our  hands  from  the  earth  which 
the  Lord  hath  cursed.  And  Lemek  lived,  after  he  had 
begotten  Noach,  five  hundred  and  ninety  and  five  years, 
and  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of 
Lemek  were  seven  hundred  and  seventy  and  seven 
years,  and  he  died. 

VI.  And  Noach  was  a  son  of  five  hundred  years, 
and  Noach  begat  Shem,  Cham,  and  Japheth.  And 
it  was  when  the  sons  of  men  had  begun  to  multiply 
upon  the  earth,  and  daughters  were  born  to  them,  that 
the  sons  of  the  mighty 7  saw  the  daughters  of  men  that 
they  were  beautiful,  and  took  to  them  wives  of  all 
whom  they  pleased.8  And  the  Lord  said,  This  evil 
generation  shall  not  stand  before  me  for  ever,  because 
they  are  flesh,  and  their  works  are  evil.  A  term  (or 
length)  will  I  give  them,  an  hundred  and  twenty  years, 
if  they  may  be  converted.  Giants  were  in  the  earth  in 
those  days;  and  also  when,  after  that  the  sons  of  the 
mighty  had  gone  in  unto  the  daughters  of  men,  there 
were  born  from  them  giants  who  from  of  old  were  men 
of  name. 

And  the  Lord  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  had 
multiplied  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  formation  (or 
image)  of  the  thought  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  every 
day.  And  it  repented  the  Lord  in  His  Word  that 
He  had  made  men  upon  the  earth.  And  He  said,  (in 
His  Word,)9  that  He  would  break  their  strength  accord¬ 
ing  to  His  pleasure.  And  the  Lord  said,  Man  whom 

7  Bnei  rabrebaia.  The  Sam.  Vers,  reads,  **  sons  of  the  rulers.” 

8  Other  copies,  “  that  they  chose.”  9^6ome  copies  omit  this. 


ON  GENESIS. 


47 


VI.] 


I  have  made  will  I  blot  out1  from  the  face  of  the 
earth ; — from  man  to  the  beast,  to  the  reptile,  and  to 
the  fowls  of  heaven ;  because  it  repenteth  Me  in  My 
Word  that  I  have  made  them.  But  Noach  found 
mercy  before  the  Lord. 


SECTION  II. 

ELEH  TOLEDOTH  NOACH. 

These  are  the  memorials  of  Noach.  Noach  was  a 
man  righteous  and  perfect  in  his  generation ;  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  walked  Noach.  And  Noach  begat 
three  sons,  Shem,  Cham,  and  Yapeth.  And  the  earth 
was  corrupted  before  the  Lord;  and  the  earth  was  filled 
with  violences.2  And  the  Lord  saw  the  earth,  and, 
behold,  it  was  corrupt,  because  all  flesh  had  corrupted, 
each  one,  his  way  upon  the  earth. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Noach,  The  end  of  all  flesh 
cometh  before  Me,  because  the  earth  is  filled  with 
violences  from  the  face  of  their  wicked  works ;  and, 
behold,  I  will  destroy  them  with  the  earth.  Make 
thee  an  ark  with  the  wood  of  cedar ;  dwellings  shalt 
thou  make  in  the  ark,  and  overlay  it  within  and  without 
with  pitch.  And  thus  shalt  thou  make  it :  three  hun¬ 
dred  cubits  shall  be  the  length  of  the  ark,  fifty  cubits 
its  breadth,  and  thirty  cubits  its  height.  A  light  shalt 
thou  make  to  the  ark,  and  at  a  cubit  shalt  thou  com- 

1  Some  copies  read,  “  And  He  said,  I  have  created  (them)  good,  that 
they  might  be  perfect  on  the  earth  ;  but  they  have  not  been  perfect  in 
(their)  outspreading ;  and  the  Lord  said,  I  will  blot  out,*5  &c. 

2  Or,  “rapines.”  Sam.  Vers.,  “oppressions.” 


48  TARGITM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

plete  it  above,  and  the  door  of  the  ark  thou  shalt  place 
in  its  side.  Lower  dwellings,  second  and  third,  shalt 
thou  make  in  it.  And  I,  behold,  I  do  bring  the  deluge 
of  waters  upon  the  earth  to  destroy  all  flesh  in  which  is 
the  breath  of  life  from  under  the  heavens.  Every 
thing  that  is  on  the  earth  shall  die.  And  I  will  estab¬ 
lish  My  covenant  with  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  enter  into 
the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  wife,  and  the  wives 
of  thy  sons  with  thee.  And  of  all  that  liveth  of  all 
flesh  two  and  two  of  all  that  enter  into  the  ark  to  abide 
with  thee,  male  and  female  shall  they  be.  Of  fowl 
according  to  its  kind,  and  of  cattle  according  to  her 
kind,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  of  the  earth  after  his 
kind,  two  of  all  shall  enter  with  thee  to  abide.  And 
thou,  take  with  thee  of  all  food  which  is  eaten,  and  1 
gather  to  be  with  thee ;  and  it  shall  be  for  thee  and  for 
them  to  eat.  And  Noach  did  according  to  all  which 
the  Lord  had  commanded  him,  so  did  he. 

VII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Noach,  Enter  thou  and  all 
the  men  of  thy  house  into  the  ark ;  for  thee  have  I  seen 
righteous  before  Me  in  this  generation.  Of  all  clean 
animals  take  thou  seven  and  seven,  male  and  female ; 
and  of  animals  not  clean,  two  and  two,  male  and 
female.  Also  of  the  fowls  of  heaven,  seven  and  seven, 
male  and  female,  to  continue  the  seed  upon  the  face  of 
all  the  earth.  Because  yet  a  time  of  seven  days  and  I 
will  cause  rain  to  descend  upon  the  earth  forty  days  and 
forty  nights,  and  I  will  blot  out  every  subsistence 8  which 
I  have  made  upon  all  the  face  of  the  earth.  And  Noach 
did  according  to  all  that  the  Lord  had  instructed  him. 
And  Noach  was  a  son  of  six  hundred  years ;  and  the 
deluge  4  of  waters  was  upon  the  earth.  And  Noach 
entered,  and  his  sons,  and  his  wife,  and  the  wives  of  his 
sons  with  him,  into  the  ark  from  before  the  water  of  the 

3  Yekuma.  *  Tuphana. 


ON  GENESIS. 


49 


VII.] 

deluge.  Of  animals  clean,  and  of  animals  not  clean, 
and  of  birds,  and  of  all  which  creepeth  upon  the  earth, 
two  and  two,  they  entered  with  Noach  into  the  ark,  male 
and  female,  as  the  Lord  had  instructed  Noach.  And  it 
was  at  the  time  of  seven  days,  and  the  waters  of  the 
| deluge  were  upon  the  earth.  In  the  six- hundredth  year 
jof  the  life  of  Noach,  in  the  second  month,  in  the  seven¬ 
teenth  day  of  the  month,  in  that  day  were  all  the 
springs  of  the  great  abyss  upbroken,  and  the  windows 
of  heaven  opened,  and  the  rain  came  down  upon  the 
earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights.  In  that  very  day 
entered  Noach,  and  Shem,  Cham,  and  Yapheth,  sons  of 
Noach,  and  the  wife  of  Noach,  and  the  three  wives  of  his 
sons  with  them,  into  the  ark ;  they,  and  every  animal 
after  his  kind,  and  all  cattle  after  its  kind,  and  every 
reptile  which  creepeth  upon  the  earth  after  its  kind,  and 
every  fowl  after  its  kind,  every  bird,  every  one  that 
flieth:  and  they  entered  with  Noach  into  the  ark,  two  and 
two  of  all  flesh  in  which  is  the  breath  of  life ;  and  they, 
entering,  male  and  female  of  all  flesh,  entered,  as  the 
Lord  had  commanded  him,  and  the  Lord  protected 
them  by  His  Word.5  And  there  was  a  deluge  forty 
days  upon  the  earth,  and  the  waters  increased,  and  took 
up  the  ark,  and  it  was  lifted  up  above  the  earth.  And 
the  waters  prevailed  and  increased  mightily  upon  the 
earth,  and  the  ark  went  upon  the  faces  of  the  waters. 
And  the  waters  prevailed  most  mightily  over  the  earth, 
and  all  the  high  hills  were  covered  which  were  under 
all  the  heavens.  Fifteen  cubits  upward  did  the  waters 
prevail,  and  the  mountains  were  covered;  and  all  flesh 
died  which  moved  upon  the  earth,  of  fowl,  and  of  cattle, 
and  of  the  wild  beast,  and  of  every  reptile  which 
creepeth  upon  the  earth,  and  every  man.  Everything  in 

5  Or,  “  The  Lord  overshadowed  them  by  His  Word.”  The  Sama¬ 
ritan  has,  “  And  the  Lord  sealed  them  over.” 

D 


50 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  the  Spirit  of  life,  of  all 
which  was  upon  the  dry  ground,  died.  And  every  sub¬ 
sistence  was  blotted  out  that  was  upon  the  faces  of  the 
earth,  from  man  to  the  beast,  to  the  reptile,  and  to  the 
fowl  of  heaven,  it  was  blotted  out  from  the  earth,  and 
Noach  was  left  alone,  and  they  who  were  with  him  in 
the  ark.  And  the  waters  prevailed  upon  the  earth  an 
hundred  and  fifty  days. 

VIII.  And  the  Lord  remembered  Noach,  and  every 
living  thing,  and  all  the  cattle  which  were  with  him  in 
the  ark ;  and  the  Lord  caused  a  wind  to  pass  over  the 
earth,  and  the  waters  rested,  and  the  springs  of  the 
abyss  were  shut,  and  the  windows  of  the  heavens,  and 
the  rain  from  the  heavens  was  restrained,  and  the  waters 
turned  from  on  the  earth,  going  and  returning ;  and  the 
waters  diminished  from  the  end  of  a  hundred  and  fifty 
days.  And  the  ark  rested  on  the  seventh  month,  on  the 
seventeenth  day  of  the  month,  upon  the  mountains  of 
Kardu.6  And  the  waters  went  and  diminished  until  the 
tenth  month :  in  the  tenth,  on  the  first  of  the  month,  the 
heads  of  the  mountains  appeared.  And  it  was  at  the 
end  of  forty  days,  and  Noach  opened  the  windows  of  the 
ark  which  he  had  made.  And  he  sent  forth  a  raven, 
and  going  he  went  out,  and  returned  until  the  waters 
were  dried  upon  the  earth.  And  he  sent  forth  a  dove 
from  (being)  with  him,  to  see  whether  the  waters 
were  lightened  (or  consumed)  from  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  But  the  dove  found  no  rest  for  the  dividing  of 
her  foot,  and  she  returned  unto  him  into  the  ark, 
because  the  waters  were  upon  all  the  earth ;  and  he 
stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  took  her,  and  brought  her 
to  be  with  him  in  the  ark.  And  he  prolonged7  yet 

Y  6  Sam.  Vers.,  Al  teborah  Samedib, "  Upon  the  mountains  Sarnedib.’*  ■ 
The  Peschito  Syriac,  “  Upon  the  mountains  of  Kardu  ”  (Armenia). 

7  Veorik:  the  Samaritan  text  has,  Vajichel ,  “And  he  expected ;  ’*  j 
the  Samaritan  Version,  Veamen,  "And  he  bettered,  or  confided  yet,”  &c. 


ON  GENESIS. 


51 


VIII.] 

seven  days,  and  afterward  added  to  send  forth  the  dove 
from  the  ark.  And  the  dove  came  to  him  at  the  time 
of  evening,  and,  behold,  a  leaf  of  olive  broken  off  wras 
in  her  mouth ;  and  Noach  knew  that  the  waters  were 
lightened  from  upon  the  earth.  And  he  prolonged  yet 
other  seven  days,  and  sent  forth  the  dove,  and  she  added 
not  to  return  to  be  with  him  again.  And  it  was  in  the 
six-hundredth  and  first  year,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
first  month,  the  waters  were  dried  from  off  the  earth ; 
and  Noach  removed  the  covering  of  the  ark,  and  looked, 
and,  behold,  the  faces  of  the  ground  were  dry.  And  in 
the  second  month,  in  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month, 
the  earth  was  fully  dry. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Noach,  saying :  Go  forth 
from  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  sons,  and  the 
wives  of  thy  sons  with  thee*  Every  living  thing  which 
is  with  thee  of  all  flesh,  of  fowl,  and  of  cattle,  and  every 
creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  bring  forth 
with  thee,  and  they  shall  generate  in  the  earth,  and 
spread  abroad  and  multiply  upon  the  earth.  And  Noach 
went  forth,  and  his  sons,  and  his  wife,  and  the  wives  of 
his  sons  with  him ;  every  animal,  every  reptile  and 
bird,  everything  which  moveth  upon  the  earth  after  their 
kind,  went  forth  from  the  ark. 

And  Noach  builded  au  altar  before  the  Lord,  and  took 
of  every  clean  beast  and  of  every  clean  bird,  and  uplifted 
an  offering  upon  the  altar.  And  the  Lord  received  with 
approval  his  oblation ;  and  the  Lord  said  in  His  Word,8 
I  will  not  add  to  curse  again  the  earth  on  account  of  the 
guilt  of  man,  because  the  creations  of  the  heart  of  man9 
are  evil  from  his  infancy ; 1  and  I  will  not  add  again  to 
smite  every  living  thing  as  I  have  done.  Yet  all  the  days  of 

•  "  UDto  (rozch)  his  mystery.” — Sam.  Vers. 

9  “  The  secret  of  the  heart  of  man.” — Ibid. 

1  “  His  smallness,”  xeireia. 

D  2 


52  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

the  earth,  seed-time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and 
summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall  not  cease. 

IX.  And  the  Lord  blessed  Noach  and  his  sons,  and 
said  to  them.  Spread  abroad,  and  multiply,  and  fill  the 
earth.  And  the  fear  of  you  and  the  dread  of  you  shall 
be  upon  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  upon  every  fowl 
of  the  heavens,  in  all  which  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  and 
in  all  fish  of  the  sea ;  into  your  hands  shall  they  be 
delivered.  Every  moving  thing  that  liveth,  for  you  it 
shall  be  to  eat ;  as  the  green  herb  I  have  given  you  the 
whole.  But  the  flesh  with  its  life-blood  you  shall  not 
eat.  And  also  your  blood  of  your  lives  will  I  require, 
from  every  beast  will  I  require  it,  and  from  the  hand  of 
man.  From  the  hand  of  the  man  who  sheddeth  the 
blood  of  his  brother  will  I  require  the  life  of  man. 
Whoso  sheddeth  the  blood  of  man,  by  witnesses,  upon 
the  sentence  of  the  judges,  his  blood  shall  be  shed ; 
because  in  the  image  of  the  Lord 2  made  He  man.  And 
you,  spread  abroad  and  multiply ;  bring  forth  in  the 
earth  and  multiply  therein. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Noach,  and  to  his  sons  with 
him,  saying,  And  I,  behold,  I  establish  my  covenant  with 
you  and  with  your  children  after  you,  and  with  every  liv¬ 
ing  thing  which  is  with  you,  of  fowl,  of  cattle,  and  of  every 
beast  of  the  field  that  is  with  you,  of  all  going  forth  from 
the  ark  of  every  animal  of  the  earth.  And  I  will  establish 
My  covenant  with  you,  and  all  flesh  shall  not  again  be 
consumed  by  the  waters  of  a  deluge,  nor  shall  there  be 
again  a  deluge  to  destroy  the  earth.  And  the  Lord 
said,  This  is  the  sign  of  the  covenant  which  I  appoint 
(give)  between  My  Word,  and  between  you,  and  between 
every  living  soul  that  is  with  you  unto  perpetual  gene¬ 
rations.  I  have  set  My  bow  in  the  cloud,  and  it  shall 
be  for  a  sign  of  the  covenant  between  My  Word  and 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  of  angels.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


53 


IX.] 


between  the  earth.  And  it  shall  be  that  when  clouding 
I  becloud  the  earth,  the  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud, 
and  I  will  remember  the  covenant  which  is  between  My 
Word,  and  between  you,  and  between  every  living  soul 
of  all  flesh ;  and  there  shall  not  be  again  the  waters  of  a 
deluge  to  destroy  all  flesh.  And  the  bow  shall  be  in 
the  cloud,  and  I  will  look  upon  it,  to  remember  the 
everlasting  covenant  between  the  Word  of  the  Lord  and 
between  every  living  soul  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the 
earth.  And  the  Lord  said,  This  is  the  sign  of  the 
covenant  which  I  have  established  between  My  Word 
and  between  all  flesh  which  is  upon  the  earth. 

And  the  sons  of  Noach  who  went  forth  from  the  ark 
were  Shem  and  Cham  and  Yapheth  :  and  Cham  is  the 
father  of  Kenaan.  These  three  are  the  sons  of  Noach, 
and  from  them  was  the  whole  earth  overspread.  And 
Noach  began  to  be  a  man  working  on  the  earth ; 3  and 
he  planted  a  vineyard,  and  he  drank  of  the  wine,4  and 
was  drunk ;  and  he  was  uncovered  in  the  midst  of  his 
tent.  And  Cham  the  father  of  Kenaan  saw  the  naked¬ 
ness  of  his  father,  and  he  showed  to  his  two  brethren 
without.  And  Shem  and  Yapheth  took  a  mantle,  and 
laid  it  upon  the  shoulders  of  both,  and  went  backward, 
and  covered  the  nakedness  of  their  father ;  and  their 
faces  were  averted,  and  the  nakedness  of  their  father 
they  saw  not.  And  Noach  awoke  from  his  wine,  and 
knew  that  which  his  youngest  son  had  done  unto  him  ; 
and  he  said  : — 

Accursed  be  Kenaan, 

A  working  servant  shall  he  be  to  his  brethren. 

And  he  said  : — 

Blessed  be  the  Lord4he  God  of  Shem, 

And  Kenaan  shall  be  servant  unto  them. 

3  Sam.,  “  A  man  of  husbandry.” 

4  Chamra ,  “  red  wine  ;  ”  Heb.,  Hayayin  ;  Sam.,  Amrah. 


54  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP.  ! 

The  Lord  shall  enlarge  Yapheth,6 

And  he  shall  make  his  Shekinah  to  dwell  in  the  j 
tabernacles  of  Shem  : 

And  Kenaan  shall  be  servant  unto  them. 

And  Noach  lived  after  the  deluge  three  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  And  all  the  days  of  Noach  were  nine  hun-  | 
drcd  and  fifty  years;  and  he  died. 

X.  And  these  are  the  generations  of  the  sons  of  i 
Noach,  Shem,  Cham,  and  Yapheth  ;  and  sons  were  born 
to  them  after  the  deluge.  The  sons  of  Yepheth,  Gomer, 
and  Magog,  and  Madai,  and  Yavan,  and  Thuval,  and  Me¬ 
sh  ek,  and  Tiras.  And  the  sons  of  Gomer,  Ashkenaz,  and 
Rephath,  andThogarmah.  And  the  sous  of  Yavan,  Elishah 
and  Tharshish,  Kittim  and  Dodanim.  From  these  were  1 
the  isles  ( nagvath )  of  the  peoples  divided  in  their  lands, 
each  according  to  his  language,  according  to  their  fami-  , 
lies  in  their  nations.  And  the  sons  of  Cham,  Kush,  and 
Mizraim,  and  Phut,  and  Kenaan.  And  the  sons  of 
Kush,  Seba,  and  Chavilah,  and  Sabetha,  and  Raamah,  ■ 
and  Sabtekah.  And  the  sons  of  Raamah,  Sheba  and 
Dedan.  And  Kush  begat  Nimrod :  he  began  to  be  a 
powerful  man  in  the  earth.  He  was  a  powerful  man 
before  the  Lord :  therefore  it  is  said.  Like  Nimrod 
the  man  of  might  before  the  Lord.  And  the  head 
(beginning)  of  his  kingdom  was  Bavel,  and  Erek,  and 
Akad,  and  Kalneh  in  the  land  of  Bavel.®  From  that  land 
he  went  forth  to  Athura,7  and  built  Nineveh,  and  the  city 
of  Rechov,8  and  Ivalach,9  and  Resell,1  between  Nineveh 
and  Kalach,  which  was  a  great  city.  xVnd  Mizraim 
begat  the  Ludaee,  and  Anamaee,  and  Lehabaee,*  and 
Naphtuhaee,  and  Pathrusaee,  and  Kasluchaee,  from 
whom  came  forth  the  Pelishtaee  and  Kaputkaee. 

5  Yaphti  leia  V  Yepheth.  Yapheth  signifies  “  enlargement.” 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Zopha.”  7  “  Astun.”  8  “  Satkan.” 

9  “Lakisa.”  1  “Aspa.”  2  “Enamim.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


55 


XI.] 


And  Kenaan  begat  Zidon  bis  firstborn,  and  Cheth,  and 
the  Jebusaee,  and  Amoraee,  and  Girgashee,  and  Hivaaee, 
and  Arkaee,  and  Antasaee,  and  Arvadaee,  and  Zemaraee, 
and  Chamathaee :  and  afterwards  the  seed  of  the 
Kenaanaee  were  scattered  abroad.  And  the  frontier  of 
Kenaan aah  was  from  Zidon,  coming  to  Gerar  and  to 
Azza,  coming  unto  Sedom,  and  Amorah,  and  Admah, 
and  Zeboim,  unto  Lasha.  These  are  the  sons  of  Cham, 
according  to  their  progenies,  to  their  languages,  in  their 
lands,  in  their  peoples. 

And  of  Shem  was  born  :  (also  he  is  the  father  of  all 
the  sons  of  Eber,  and  the  brother  of  Yapheth  the 
Great:)  the  sons  of  Shem,  Elim,  and  Asshur,  and 
Arphaxad,  and  Lud,  and  Aram.  And  the  sons  of  Aram, 
Uz,  and  Chul,  and  Gether,  and  Mash.  And  Arphaxad 
begat  Shelach ;  and  Shelach  begat  Eber.  And  to  Eber 
were  born  two  sons  :  the  name  of  the  one  was  Peleg : 
because  in  his  day  the  earth  was  divided.  And  the 
name  of  his  brother  was  Yoktan.  And  Yoktan  begat 
Almodad,  and  Shaleph,  and  Chatsarmaveth,  and  Yarech, 
and  Chadoram,  and  Uzal,  and  Dikelah,  and  Obal,  and 
Avimael,  and  Sheba,  and  Ophir,  and  Chavilah,  and 
Yobab  :  all  these  are  the  sons  of  Yoktan.  And  their 
dwelling  was  from  Mesha,3  coming  to  Sephar,  an 
eastern  mountain.  These  are  the  sons  of  Shem,* 
according  to  their  progenies,  according  to  their  lan¬ 
guages,  in  their  lands,  in  their  peoples.  These  are  the 
progenies  of  the  sons  of  Noach,  by  their  generations,  in 
their  peoples :  and  by  them  were  the  peoples  outspread 
in  the  earth  after  the  deluge. 

XI.  And  all  the  earth  was  of  one  language  and 
one  speech.  And  it  was  in  their  migrations 5  at  the 

3  “Misbal.”— Sam. 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  This  is  the  portion  of  the  sons.” 

5  Heb.,  “  their  removal  from  the  east.”  Syriac,  "  It  was  while 

they  ascended  from  the  east.” 


56  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

beginning,  that  they  found  a  plain  in  the  land  of 
Babel,  and  dwelt  there. — And  they  said,  a  man  to  his 
companion,  Come,  let  us  cast  bricks  and  bake  them 
in  the  fire.  And  they  had  brick  for  stone,  and  bitu¬ 
men  for  mortar.  And  they  said,  Come,  let  us  build  a 
city,  and  a  tower,  the  head  of  it  coming  to  the  pinnacle 
of  the  heavens.  And  we  will  make  to  us  a  name,  lest 
we  be  dispersed  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth.  And 
the  Lord  was  revealed  to  punish  the  work  of  the  city 
and  the  tower  which  the  sons  of  men  had  builded. 
And  the  Lord  said.  Behold,  the  people  is  one  and  the 
language  one  with  all  of  them :  and  this  is  what  they 
begin  to  do.  And  now  nothing  will  be  restrained  from 
them  of  what  they  imagine  to  do.  Come,  We  will  be 
manifest,  and  will  confuse  their  language  there,  that  a 
man  shall  not  hear  the  language  of  his  companion. 
And  the  Lord  dispersed  them  from  thence  upon  the 
face  of  all  the  earth,  and  they  were  restrained  from 
building  the  city.  Therefore  the  name  of  it  is  called 
Confusion,6  because  the  Lord  there  confused  the  tongue 
of  all  the  earth,  and  from  thence  the  Lord  dispersed 
them  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth. 

These  are  the  generations  of  Sliem.  Shem  was  a  son 
of  a  hundred  years,  and  he  begat  Arphaxad,  two  years 
after  the  deluge.  And  Shem  lived  after  he  had  be¬ 
gotten  Arphaxad  five  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.  And  Arphaxad  lived  thirty  and  five 
years,  and  begat  Shelach.  And  Arphaxad  lived  after 
he  had  begotten  Shelach  four  hundred  and  thirty  years, 
and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 

And  Shelach  lived  thirty  years,  and  begat  Eber. 
And  Shelach  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Eber  four 
hundred  and  three  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 

And  Eber  lived  thirty  and  four  years,  and  begat 
6  “  Babel.”  Sam.  Vera.,  “  Lilaq .” 


ON  GENESIS. 


57 


XI.] 

Peleg.  And  Eber  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Peleg 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters. 

And  Peleg  lived  thirty  years,  and  begat  Reu.  And 
Peleg  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Reu  two  hundred  and 
nine  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 

And  Reu  lived  thirty  and  two  years,  and  begat  Serug. 
And  Reu  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Serug  two 
hundred  and  seven  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters.  And  Serug  lived  thirty  years,  and  begat 
Nachor.  And  Serug  lived  after  he  had  begotten 
Nachor  two  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons-  and 
daughters. 

And  Nachor  lived  twenty  and  nine  years,  and  begat 
Terach.  And  Nachor  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Terach 
a  hundred  and  nineteen  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters. 

And  Terach  lived  seventy  years,  and  begat  Abram, 
Nachor,  and  Haran.  And  these  are  the  generations  of 
Terach.  Terach  begat  Abram,  Nachor,  and  Haran ; 
and  Haran  begat  Lot.  And  Haran  died  before  Terach 
his  father  in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  in  Ura  of  the 
Kasdaee.  And  Abram  and  Nachor  took  to  them 
wives  :  the  name  of  the  wife  of  Abram,  Sara;  and  the 
name  of  the  wife  of  Nachor,  Milcha,  daughter  of 
Haran  the  father  of  Milcha  and  the  father  of  Yiska. 
And  Sara  was  barren,  she  had  no  child.  And  Terach 
took  Abram  his  son,  and  Lot  the  son  of  Haran,  the  son 
of  his  son,  and  Sara  his  daughter-in-law,  wife  of  Abram 
his  son,  and  went  forth  with  them  from  Ura  of  the 
Kasdaee  to  go  to  the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  they  came 
to  Charan,  and  dwelt  there.  And  the  days  of  Terach 
were  two  hundred  and  five  years,  and  Terach  died  in 
Charan. 


58 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 


SECTION  III. 

LECH  LECHA. 

XII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abram,  Go  thou  away 
from  thy  country,  and  from  the  house  of  thy  father,  to 
the  land  which  I  will  show  thee.  And  I  will  make 
thee  to  (be)  a  great  people,  and  will  bless  thee,  and 
magnify  thy  name,  and  thou  shalt  be  blessed.  And  I 
will  bless  him  who  blesseth  thee,  and  him  who  curseth 
thee  I  will  curse ;  and  through  thee  all  the  progenies 
of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed.  And  Abram  went  away, 
according  as  the  Lord  had  spoken  to  him,  and  Lot 
went  with  him.  And  Abram  was  a  son  of  seventy  and 
five  years  in  his  forthgoing  from  Charan.  And  Abram 
took  Sara  his  wife,  and  Lot  his  brother’s  son,  and  all 
the  possessions  which  they  possessed,  and  the  souls  whom 
they  had  made  subject  to  the  law  in  Charan,  and  went 
forth  to  go  into  the  land  of  Kenaan ;  and  they  came 
unto  the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  Abram  traversed 
through  the  land  unto  the  place  of  Shekim  7  unto  the 
plain  of  Moreh  ;8  and  the  Kena&nah  was  then  in  the  land. 
And  the  Lord  revealed  Himself  unto  Abram,  and  said, 
To  thy  sons  will  I  give  this  land.  And  he  builded 
there  an  altar  before  the  Lord  who  had  been  revealed 
to  him.  And  he  ascended  from  thence  to  the  mountain 
east  of  Beth  El,  and  spread  out  his  tabernacle,  having 
Beth  El  on  the  west  and  Ai  on  the  east;  and  he  builded 
there  an  altar  before  the  Lord,  and  prayed  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  And  Abram  migrated,  going  and 
migrating  to  the  south. 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  unto  the  city  of  Shekam. 

Sam.  Vers.,  "  the  plain  or  valley  of  vision.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


59 


XIII.] 

And  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land,  and  Abram 
went  down  to  Mizraim,  to  sojourn  there,  because  the 
famine  was  strong  in  the  land.  And  it  was  that  as  he 
drew  nigh  to  enter  Mizraim  he  said  to  Sara  his  wife. 
Behold,  now  I  know  that  thou  art  a  woman  beautiful 
in  sight ;  and  it  will  be  that  when  the  Mizraee  see  thee 
they  will  say,  This  is  his  wife ;  and  they  will  kill  me, 
and  thee  will  they  reserve.  „  Say  now,  thou  art  my  sis¬ 
ter,  that  it  may  be  well  with  me  through  thee,  and  my 
life  may  be  preserved  through  thy  words.  And  it  was 
that  when  Abram  had  entered  into  Mizraim,  the  Miz¬ 
raee  saw  the  woman  that  she  was  singularly  fair ;  and 
the  princes  of  Pharaoh  saw  her,  and  extolled  her  to 
Pharaoh  ;  and  the  woman  was  taken  to  the  house  of 
Pharaoh.  And  Abram  was  well  treated  on  account 
of  her.  And  he  had  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  asses,  and 
servants,  and  maidens,  and  camels.  And  the  Lord 
brought  upon  Pharaoh  great  plagues,  and  upon  the 
men  of  his  house,  for  the  affair  of  Sara  the  wife  of 
Abram.  And  Pharaoh  called  Abram  and  said,  What 
is  this  that  thou  hast  done  to  me  ?  Why  didst  thou  not 
show  me  that  she  is  thy  wife  ?  Why  saidst  thou,  She  is 
my  sister, — so  that  I  would  have  taken  her  to  me  to 
wife  ?  And  now,  behold  thy  wife :  take,  and  go.  And 
Pharaoh  instructed  the  men  concerning  him,  and  they 
conducted  him  away,  and  his  wife,  and  all  that  he  had. 

XIII.  And  Abram  went  up  from  Mizraim,  he  and 
his  wife,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  Lot  with  him,  unto 
the  south.  And  Abram  was  exceeding  strong  in  cattle, 
in  silver,  and  in  gold ;  and  he  proceeded  according  to 
his  encampments  from  the  south,  and  unto  Bethel,  unto 
the  place  where  he  had  spread  his  tabernacle  at  the 
first,  between  Bethel 9  and  Ai ;  to  the  place  of  the  altar 


9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  between  Beth-chaila  and  Kaphrah.1 


60  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

which  he  had  there  made  at  the  first :  and  Abram 
prayed  there  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord.  And  Lot  also, 
who  went  with  Abram,  had  sheep  and  oxen  and  tents. 
And  the  land  could  not  support  them,  that  they  might 
dwell  together.  And  there  was  contention  between  the 
shepherds  of  the  flock  of  Abram  and  the  shepherds  of 
the  flock  of  Lot ;  and  the  Kenaanah  and  the  Pherizaah 
then  dwelt  in  the  land.  And  Abram  said  to  Lot,  Let 
there  not  now  be  contention  between  me  and  thee,  and 
between  my  shepherds  and  thy  shepherds;  for  men, 
brethren,  are  we.  Is  not  all  the  land  before  thee? 
Separate  now  from  me :  if  thou  to  the  north,  I  to  the 
south  ;  and  if  thou  to  the  south,  I  to  the  north.  And 
Lot  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  all  the  plain  of  Yardena 
that  it  was  altogether  a  watered  place, —before  the 
Lord  had  destroyed  Sedom  and  Amorah, — as  the  gar¬ 
den  of  the  Lord,  as  the  land  of  Mizraim  coming  unto 
Zoar.  And  Lot  chose  to  him  all  the  plain  of  Yardena ; 
and  Lot  went  forth  before,  and  they  were  separated 
each  man  from  his  brother.  Abram  dwelt  in  the  land 
of  Kenaan,  and  Lot  dwelt  in  the  cities  of  the  plain,  and 
extended  unto  Sedom.  And  the  men  of  Sedom  were 
wicked  in  their  riches,  and  guilty  in  their  bodies  before 
the  Lord  greatly.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abram,  after 
Lot  was  separated  from  him,  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes 
and  see,  from  the  place  where  thou  art,  thence  to  the 
north  and  to  the  south,  and  to  the  east  and  to  the 
west ;  for  all  this  land  that  thou  seest,  to  thee  will  I 
give  it,  and  to  thy  children  for  ever.  And  I  will  place 
thy  children  numerous  as  the  dust  of  the  earth ;  so  that 
as  it  is  not  possible  for  a  man  to  number  the  dust  of 
the  earth,  so  also  thy  sons  shall  not  be  numbered. 
Arise,  go  through  the  land,  in  its  length  and  in  its 
breadth;  for  unto  thee  will  I  give  it.  And  Abram 
spread  (his  tent),  and  came  aud  dwelt  in  the  plain  of 


ON  GENESIS. 


XIV.] 


61 


Mamre  which  is  near  Hebron,1  and  builded  there  an 
altar  before  the  Lord. 

XI Y.  And  it  was  in  the  days  of  Amraphel,  king  of 
Babel,  Ariok,  king  of  Elasar,  Kedar-laomer,  king  of  Elam, 
and  Thidal,  king  of  peoples,  (that)  they  made  war  with 
Bera,  king  of  Sedom,  and  with  Birsha,  king  of  Amora, 
Shenab,  king  of  Admah,  Shemeber,  king  of  Zeboim,  and 
the  king  of  Bela,  which  is  Zoar.  All  these  were 
assembled  at  the  plain  of  the  field,  which  is  (now)  the 
place  of  the  sea  of  salt.  Twelve  years  they  had  served 
Kedar-laomer,  and  in  the  thirteenth  year  they  rebelled. 
And  in  the  fourteenth  year  came  Kedar-laomer,  and 
the  kings  who  were  with  him,  and  smote  the  giants  who 
were  in  Ashtaroth  Karnaim,  and  the  mighty  who  were 
in  Chemta,  and  the  terrible  ones  who  were  in  Shaveh 
Kiryathaim,  and  the  Horaee  who  were  in  the 
mountain  of  Seir,  unto  the  plain  of  Paran  which  lieth 
upon  the  desert.  And  they  turned,  and  came  to  the 
plain  of  the  division  of  judgment,  which  is  Rekam,  and 
smote  all  the  fields  of  the  Amalkaah,  and  also  the 
Amoraah  who  dwelt  in  Ein-gadey.2  And  the  king  of 
Sedom,  and  the  king  of  Amoraah,  and  the  king  of 
Admah,  and  the  king  of  Zeboim,  and  the  king  of  Bela, 
which  is  Zoar,  went  forth  and  set  the  battle  in  array 
against  them  in  the  plain  of  the  field,  with  Kedar- 
laomer,  king  of  Elam,  and  Thidal,3  king  of  peoples,  and 
Amraphel,  king  of  Babel,  and  Ariok,  king  of  Elasar ; 
four  kings  against  five.  And  the  plain  of  the  field  had 
many  pits,  from  which  they  raised  asphalta ;  and  the 
kings  of  Sedom  and  Amorah  fled,  and  they  fell  there ; 
and  they  who  remained  fled  to  the  mountain.  And 


1  Peschito  Syr.,  “  And  Abraham  dwelt  among  the  oak  groves  of 
Mamre  Amnroyo,  which  is  by  Hebron.” 

a  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Haphinith.” 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Thidal,  king-shultan  of  the  Chamai.” 


62  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

they  took  all  the  possession  of  Sedom  and  Amorah,  and 
all  their  food,  and  went.  And  they  captured  Lot  and  his 
substance,  son  of  the  brother  of  Abram,  and  went. 
And  he  had  dwelt  in  Sedom.  And  (one)  came  from 
those  escaped,  and  showed  to  Abram  the  Ivraah  ;  and  he 
had  remained  in  the  plain  of  Moreh  Amoraah,  the 
brother  of  Eshkol  and  brother  of  Aner ;  and  they  were 
Abram's  men  of  covenant.  And  Abram  heard  that  his 
brother  had  been  captured ;  and  he  armed  the  young 
men  born  in  his  house,  three  hundred  and  eighteen,  and 
pursued  unto  Dan.  And  he  divided  against  them  by 
night,  he  and  his  servants,  and  smote  them,  and  pursued 
them  unto  Iloba,4  which  was  northward  of  Damasek. 
And  he  recovered  all  the  substance,  and  Lot  also,  the 
son  of  his  brother ;  and  his  substance  he  recovered,  the 
women  also,  and  the  people.  And  the  king  of  Sedom 
came  out  to  meet  him  after  returning  from  the  smiting 
of  Kedar-laomer  and  the  kings  who  were  with  him,  at 
the  plain  of  Mephana,  which  was  the  king's  place  of 
racing.  And  Malki-zedek,  king  of  Yerushelem,6  brought 
forth  bread  and  wine  ( chemar ),  and  he  was  minister 
(5 meshamesh )  before  El  Illaah,6  and  he  blessed  him, 
and  said : — 

“  Blessed  be  Abram  before  El  IUaali, 

Whose  possession  is  heaven  and  earth ; 

And  blessed  be  El  Illaah,7 

Who  hath  delivered  thine  enemies  into  thine  hand.” 

And  he  gave  him  one  in  ten  of  the  whole.  And  the 
king  of  Sedom  said  to  Abram,  Give  me  the  souls,  and 
the  substance  take  thou.  And  Abram  said  to  the  king 
of  Sedom,  I  have  uplifted  my  hands  in  prayer  before 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Phoga.”  •  Sam.  Vers.,  Maleic  Shalem. 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  And  he  was  Kohen  of  the  Most  Mighty.” 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  "the  Most  Mighty,  who,  a  shield,  hath  delivered,”  &c. 


ON  GENESIS. 


63 


XV.] 

the  Lord  God  most  high,  whose  possession  is  heaven 
and  earth :  if  from  a  thread  unto  the  sole  of  a  sandal  I 
take  of  all  that  is  thine,  (and  not  that  thou  shouldst 
say,  I  have  enriched  Abram,)  except  of  the  food  for  the 
young  men,  and  the  share  of  the  men  who  went  with  me, 
Amer,  Eshkol,  and  Mamre,  these  will  receive  their  shares. 

XY.  After  these  things  the  word  ( pithgama )  of  the 
Lord  came  to  Abram  in  prophecy,8  saying,  Lear  not, 
Abram  :  My  Word  [Memra]  shall  be  thy  strength,  and  thy 
exceeding  great  reward.  And  Abram  said,  Lord  God, 
what  wilt  Thou  give  me,  and  I  go  without  a  child  :  and 
this  son  of  business  ( bar  phargama )  who  is  in  My  house 
is  the  Damasekah  Elieser  ?  And  Abram  said,  Behold, 
Thou  hast  not  given  me  a  child,  and,  behold,  the  son  of 
my  house  is  my  heir.  And,  lo,  the  word  {pithgama)  of 
the  Lord  was  with  him,  saying,  This  shall  not  be  thy 
heir,  but  a  son  whom  thou  shalt  beget  will  be  thine 
heir.  And  He  led  him  without,  and  said,  Behold  now 
the  heavens,  and  number  the  stars,  if  thou  art  able  to 
number  them ;  and  He  said  to  him,  So  will  be  thy  sons.9 
And  he  believed  in  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  ( Memra  da 
Yeya,)  and  He  reckoned  it  to  him  unto  justification. 
And  He  said  to  him,  I  am  the  Lord,  who  brought  thee 
forth  from  Ura  of  the  Kasdaee,  to  give  thee  this  land  to 
“inherit  it.  And  he  said,  Lord  God,  by  what  may  I 
know  that  I  shall  inherit  it  ?  And  He  said  to  him. 
Bring  Me  three  calves,  and  three  goats,  and  three  rams, 
and  a  turtle  dove,  and  the  young  of  a  pigeon.  And  he 
brought  before  Him  all  these.  And  he  divided  them 
equally,  and  set  the  divisions  a  division  against  his 
fellow ;  but  the  birds  he  did  not  divide.  And  the  fowl 
descended  upon  the  divisions,  and  Abram  drave  them 

8  The  Sam.  has  also  benabia,  “  in  prophecy.” 

*  Sam.  Vers.,  chalipik,  “thy  successors.” 


64 


TARGUM  OP  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 

away.  And  it  was  sunset,  and  sleep  fell  upon  Abram  : 
and,  lo,  a  horror  of  great  darkness  fell  upon  him.  And 
He  said  unto  Abram,  Knowing  thou  shalt  know  that 
thy  sons  will  be  sojourners  (or  aliens)  in  a  land  not 
theirs,  and  they  will  serve  among  them ;  and  they  will 
afflict  them  four  hundred  years.  And  the  people  whom 
they  will  serve  I  will  judge,  and  afterwards  they  shall 
go  forth  with  much  substance.  And  thou  shalt  be 
gathered  to  thy  fathers  in  peace,  and  shalt  be  buried 1  in 
good  old  age.  And  in  the  fourth  age  (or  generation)  j 
they  will  return  hither ;  because  not  (yet)  complete  is 
the  guilt  of  the  Amoraah.  And  it  was  at  the  going 
away  of  the  sun,  and  there  was  darkness.  And  behold 
a  furnace  that  burned,  and  a  flame  of  fire  which  passed 
between  those  divisions.  In  that  day  the  Lord  com-  j 
pacted  with  Abram  a  covenant,  saying.  To  thy  sons  will 
I  give  this  land ;  from  the  river  of  Mizraim  unto  the 
great  river,  the  river  of  Pherat,8  the  Shalmaee,  and  the 
Kenizaee,  and  the  Kadmonaee,  and  the  Hittaee,  and  the 
Pherizaee,  and  the  Gibbaraee,  and  the  Amoraee,  and 
the  Kenaanaee,  and  the  Girgashaee,  and  the  Yebusaee. 

XVI.  And  Sara  wife  of  Abram  had  no  child ;  and 
she  had  an  handmaid,  a  Mizretha,  and  her  name  was 
Hagar.  And  Sara  said  to  Abram,  Behold  now,  the 
Lord  hath  restrained  me  from  childbearing ;  go  in  now  • 
to  my  handmaid,  if,  perhaps,  I  may  have  sons  from  her. 
And  Abram  received  the  word  of  Sara.  And  Sara  wife 
of  Abram  took  Hagar  her  handmaid,  the  Mizretha,  at 
the  end  of  ten  years  of  Abram's  dwelling  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  and  gave  her  to  Abram  her  husband  to  be  his 
wife ;  and  he  went  in  unto  Hagar,  and  she  conceived, 
and  she  saw  that  she  had  conceived,  and  her  mistress 
was  despised  in  her  eyes.  And  Sara  said  to  Abram, 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “gathered.”  2  Sam.  Vers.,  “the  river  of  Shalmah.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


65 


XVI.] 


I  have  (a  cause  of)  judgment 8  against  thee.  I  have  given 
mj  handmaid  to  thee,  and  she  seeth  that  she  hath  con¬ 
ceived,  and  I  am  despised  in  her  eyes:  the  Lord  judge 
between  me  and  thee.  And  Abram  said  to  Sar^,  Behold, 
thy  handmaid  is  in  thy  hand,  do  to  her  as  is  pleasing 
in  thine  eyes :  and  Sara  afflicted  her,  and  she  fled  from 
before  her.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  found  her 
at  the  fountain  of  water  in  the  wilderness,  at  the 
fountain  in  the  way  of  Hagra.  And  he  said,  Hagar, 
handmaid  of  Sara,  whence  comest  thou,  and  whither 
art  thou  going  ?  And  she  said,  From  before  Sara  my 
mistress  do  I  escape.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord 
said  to  her,  Beturn  to  thy  mistress  and  be  subject4 
under  her  hand.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  said  to 
her:  Multiplying  I  will  multiply  thy  sons,  and  they 
shall  not  be  numbered  for  multitude.  And  the  Angel 
of  the  Lord  said  to  her,  Behold,  thou  hast  conceived, 
and  shalt  give  birth  to  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his 
name  Yishmael,  because  the  Lord  hath  heard  thy 
prayer.  And  he  will  be  untameable  by  man,  and  he 
will  be  needy  to  every  one,  and  also  all  men  will  be 
needy  to  him,  and  before  the  face  of  all  his  brethren 
will  he  dwell.  And  she  prayed  in  the  Name  of  the 
Lord  who  had  spoken  with  her ;  and  she  said :  Thou 
art  Eloha,  seeing  all  :5  for  she  said,  I  also  have  begun  to 
see  after  that  He  hath  been  revealed  to  me.  Therefore  she 
called  the  name  of  the  well,  The  well  at  which  appeared 
the  Angel  of  the  Covenant :  behold,  it  is  between  Bekam 
and  Hagra.  And  Hagar  bare  to  Abram  a  son,  and 
Abram  called  the  name  of  his  son  whom  Hagar  bare 
Yishmael.  And  Abram  was  son  of  eighty  and  six  years 
when  Hagar  bare  Yishmael  unto  Abram. 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  oppression.”  4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  humble  thyself.” 

s  Sam.  Vers.,  Ath  chiulak  chezuah ,  “  Thou  the  Mighty  seest.”  The 
Syriac  has,  "  Thou  art  Aloha  in  vision.” 


G6  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

XVII.  And  Abram  was  son  of  ninety  and  nine  years  : 
and  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  Abram,  and  said  to  him, 
I  am  El-shadai ; 6  serve  before  Me,  and  be  perfect ; 7 
and  I  will  set  a  covenant  between  My  Word  and  thee, 
and  I  will  multiply  thee  exceedingly  much.  And  Abram 
fell  on  his  face  :  and  the  Lord  spake  with  him,  saying. 
Behold,  I  have  dedicated  My  covenant  with  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  be  the  father  of  many  peoples,  and  thy  name 
shall  no  more  be  called  Abram;  but  thy  name  shall  be 
Abraham,  because  the  father  of  many  peoples  have  I 
appointed  (given)  thee.  And  I  will  spread  thee  abroad 
very  greatly,  and  I  will  appoint  to  thee  that  assemblies 
and  kings,  who  shall  rule  the  peoples,  from  thee  shall 
come  forth.  And  I  will  establish  My  covenant  between 
My  Word  and  thee,  and  thy  sons  after  thee  unto 
perpetual  generations,  to  be  unto  thee  a  God,  and  to 
thy  sons  after  thee.  And  I  will  give  to  thee  and  to 
thy  sons  after  thee  the  land  of  thy  habitation,  all  the 
land  of  Ivenaan,  for  an  everlasting  possession ;  and  I 
will  be  unto  them  Eloha.  And  the  Lord  said  to 
Abraham,  And  thou  My  covenant  shalt  keep,  thou  and 
thy  sons  after  thee  in  their  generations.  This  is  My 
covenant  which  you  shall  keep  between  My  Word  and 
you  and  thy  sons  after  thee,  to  circumcise  every  male 
that  is  among  you.  And  you  shall  circumcise  the  flesh 
of  your  foreskin,  and  it  shall  be  for  the  sign  of  the 
covenant  between  My  Word  and  you.  And  the  son  of 
eight  days  shall  be  circumcised  among  you  ;  every  male 
in  your  generations,  born  in  the  house,  or  bought  with 
money,  of  every  son  of  the  peoples,  who  is  not  of  thy 
sons,  circumcising  you  shall  circumcise  the  one  born  in 
the  house,  and  him  bought  with  money ;  and  it  shall 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  Anah  Chiulah  Sapukah ,  “I  am  the  Mighty,  the 
Sufficient.”  Syr.,  El  Shadai  Aloha. 

7  S/telim. 


ON  GENESIS. 


67 


XVII.] 


be  My  covenant  in  your  flesh  for  a  covenant  for  ever. 
And  the  male  who  is  not  circumcised  in  the  flesh  of  his 
foreskin,  that  man  shall  perish  from  the  people  (because) 
he  hath  made  void  My  covenant. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  The  name  of  Sara  thy 
wife  shall  not  be  called  Sara,  for  Sarah  shall  be  her 
name :  and  I  will  bless  her,  and  I  will  also  give  thee  a 
son  from  her ;  and  I  will  bless  her,  and  assemblies  and 
kings  which  have  dominion  over  peoples  from  her  shall 
be.  And  Abraham  fell  upon  his  face  and  rejoiced,  and 
said  in  his  heart,  Will  the  son  of  a  hundred  years 
have  a  child,  and  Sarah  the  daughter  of  ninety  years 
bring  forth  ?  And  Abraham  said  before  the  Lord,  O 
that  Yislimael  may  be  established  before  thee  !  And  the 
Lord  said.  In  verity  Sarah  thy  wife  shall  bear  thee  a 
son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Izhak ;  and  I  will 
establish  My  covenant  with  him  for  an  everlasting 
covenant  to  his  sons  after  him.  And  concerning 
Yishmael  I  have  accepted  thy  prayer.  Behold,  I  have 
blessed  him,  and  I  will  spread  him  abroad  very  greatly. 
Twelve  princes  will  he  beget,  and  I  will  set  him  (as)  a 
great  people.  But  My  covenant  I  will  establish  with 
Izhak,  whom  Sarah  shall  bear  to  thee,  at  this  time,  in  the 
year  following.  And  when  He  had  ended  to  speak  with 
him,  the  Glory  of  the  Lord 8  ascended  up  from  Abraham. 
And  Abraham  took  Yishmael  his  son,  and  every  one 
born  in  his  house,  and  every  one  bought  with  his  money, 
every  male,  the  men  of  the  house  of  Abraham,  and 
circumcised  the  flesh  of  their  foreskin  in  that  very  same 
day  when  the  Lord  had  spoken  with  him.  And 
Abraham  was  son  of  ninety  and  nine  years,  when  he 
circumcised  the  flesh  of  his  foreskin.  And  Yishmael 
his  son  was  son  of  thirteen  years,  when  the  flesh  of 
his  foreskin  was  circumcised.  In  that  same  day 
8  Sam.  Vers.,  “the  Angel  of  the  Lord.” 


68 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 


Abraham  was  circumcised,  and  Yishmael  his  son,  and  all 
the  men  of  his  house,  (whether)  born  in  his  house, 
or  bought  with  money  from  the  sons  of  the  Gentiles, 
were  circumcised  with  him. 


SECTION  IV. 

VAIYERA. 

XVIII.  And  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  him  in  the 
Vale  of  Mamre;  and  he  sat  in  the  door  of  the  tent 
while  the  day  was  hot.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and 
looked,  and,  behold,  three  men  stood  towards  him  ;  and 
he  saw,  and  ran  from  the  door  of  the  tent  to  meet  them, 
and  worshipped  upon  the  earth.  And  he  said.  Lord, 
if  now  I  have  found  favour  in  Thine  eyes,  pass  not,  I 
pray,  from  Thy  servant.  Accept  now  a  little  water,  and 
wash  your  feet,  and  recline  under  the  tree,  and  take  a 
mouthful  of  bread,  and  strengthen  your  hearts,  after¬ 
ward  you  shall  pass  on ;  because  for  this  you  have  come 
over  unto  your  servant.  And  He  said,  So  do  as  thou 
hast  spoken.  And  Abraham  hastened  to  the  tent  to 
Sarah,  and  said.  Make  haste  with  three  seyin  of  the 
flour  of  meal,  mix  and  make  cakes.  And  to  the  herd 
ran  Abraham,  and  took  a  calf,  tender  and  good,  and 
gave  to  a  young  man,  and  he  hastened  to  dress  him. 
And  he  took  butter  and  milk,  and  the  calf  which  he 
had  prepared,  and  set  before  them,  and  he  waited  upon 
them  under  the  tree,  and  they  ate.  And  He  said  to 
him,  Where  is  Sarah  thy  wife?  And  he  said.  Behold, 
in  the  tent.  And  He  said,  Returning  I  will  return  to 
thee,  according  to  the  time  that  you  shall  revive,  and, 
behold,  Sarah  thy  wife  shall  have  a  son.  And  Sarah 


XVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  69 

heard  in  the  door  of  the  tent,  and  it  was  behind  Him. 
And  Abraham  and  Sarah  were  old  and  advanced  in 
days,  and  with  Sarah  had  ceased  to  be  the  way  of 
women.  And  Sarah  laughed  within  herself,  saying, 
After  that  I  am  old  shall  I  have  a  child,  and  my  lord 
(being  also)  old?  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abraham, 
Wherefore  laughed  Sarah,  saying,  Can  it  be  in  truth 
that  I  shall  bring  forth,  and  I  being  old  ?  What  word 
is  hidden  from  before  the  Lord  ?  At  the  time  I  will 
return  to  thee,  according  to  the  time  that  you  shall 
revive,  and  Sarah  shall  have  a  son.  And  Sarah  denied, 
saying,  I  laughed  not :  for  she  was  afraid.  And  He 

said,  No,  but  thou  didst  laugh . And  the  men  arose 

thence,  and  looked  towards  the  face  of  Sedom ;  and 
Abraham  went  with  them  to  accompany  them.  And 
the  Lord  said,  Shall  I  conceal  from  Abraham  what  I 
am  doing  ?  And  Abraham  shall  be  indeed  a  people 
many  and  strong,  and  in  him  shall  all  the  peoples  of 
the  earth  be  blessed ;  because  it  is  manifest  before  me 
that  he  will  instruct  his  children,  and  the  men  of  his 
house  after  him,  to  keep  the  ways  which  are  right  before 
the  Lord,  to  do  righteousness  and  judgment ;  that  the 
Lord  may  bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  He  hath 
spoken  concerning  him.  And  the  Lord  said,  The 
cry9  of  Sedom  and  Amorah  [is  heard  before  Me]  be¬ 
cause  it  is  great,  and  the  guilt  of  them  is  very  mighty  : 
I  will  now  see,  and  will  judge,  whether  they  do  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  report  of  them  which  hath  ascended  before 
me.  I  will  deal  with  them  thoroughly  unless  they 
convert ;  but  if  they  convert,  I  will  not  punish.  And 
the  men  turned  away  from  thence,  and  went  toward 
Sedom.  And  Abraham  yet  ministered  in  prayer  before 
the  Lord.  And  Abraham  approached,  and  said,  Wilt 
Thou,  in  anger,  destroy  the  righteous  with  the  guilty  ? 

9  Kebelath. 


70  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

If  perhaps  there  be  fifty  righteous  within  the  city,  wilt 
Thou  in  anger  destroy  and  not  forgive  the  place  for  the 
fifty  righteous  who  are  within  it  ?  More  true  are  Thy 
judgments  than  that  Thou  shouldst  do  a  thing  like  that, 
to  destroy  the  just  with  the  guilty,  and  that  the  just 
should  be  as  the  guilty !  Thy  judgments  are  true  ! 
Can  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  but  do  justice  ?  And 
the  Lord  said,  If  I  find  in  Sedom  fifty  righteous  in  the 
midst  of  the  city,  I  will  spare  all  the  place  for  their 
sake.1  And  Abraham  answered  and  said,  Behold,  I 
have  done  a  great  thing,  to  speak  before  the  Lord,  and 
I  dust  and  ashes  !  Perhaps  of  the  fifty  righteous  there 
may  be  wanting  five :  shall  all  the  city  perish  through 
five  ?  And  He  said,  I  will  not  destroy,  if  I  find  there 
forty  and  five.  And  he  added  yet  to  speak  before  Him, 
and  said.  Perhaps  forty  may  be  found  there.  And  He 
said,  I  will  not  make  the  end  on  account  of  the  forty. 
And  he  said,  Let  not  the  anger  of  the  Lord  now  kindle, 
and  I  will  speak.  Perhaps  thirty  shall  be  found  there. 
And  He  said,  I  will  not  make  the  end  if  I  find  there 
thirty.  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  have  done  a  great  thing 
to  speak  before  the  Lord :  perhaps  twenty  shall  be  found 
there.  And  He  said,  I  will  not  destroy  for  the  sake  of 
twenty.  And  he  said.  Let  not  now  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  kindle,  and  I  will  speak  only  this  time :  perhaps 
ten  may  be  found  there.  And  He  said,  I  will  not 
destroy  for  the  sake  of  the  ten !  And  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord  ascended  when  He  had  ceased  to  speak  with 
Abraham,  and  Abraham  returned  to  his  place. 

XIX.  And  two  angels  entered  into  Sedom  in  the 
evening ;  and  Lot  sat  in  the  gate  of  Sedom.  And  Lot 
saw,  and  arose  to  present  himself  before  them,  and  he 
bowed  with  his  face  to  the  earth.  And  he  said,  I  pray 
my  lords  (ribboni)  to  turn  aside  unto  the  house  of  your 
1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  I  will  tolerate  all  the  place.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


71 


XIX.] 

servant  and  lodge,  and  wash  your  feet ;  and  rising  early 
you  shall  go  on  your  way.  And  they  said,  Not  so,  but 
in  the  wide  place  will  we  lodge.  And  he  was  greatly 
in  earnest  with  them,  and  they  turned  aside  with  him, 
and  entered  into  his  house :  and  he  made  them  a  supper, 
and  dressed  unleavened  cakes  for  them,  and  they  ate. 
As  yet  they  had  not  slept ;  and  the  men  of  the  city, 
the  men  of  Sedom,  gathered  against  the  house,  from  the 
youth  unto  the  old  man,  all  the  people  from  the  ex¬ 
tremes  ;  and  they  cried  to  Lot,  and  said  to  him,  Where 
are  the  men  who  came  to  thee  to-night  ?  Bring  them 
forth  to  us,  and  we  will  know  them.  And  Lot  went 
out  to  them  to  the  gate,  and  the  door  he  shut  after  him. 
And  he  said,  I  pray  you,  my  brethren,  do  not  (so) 
wickedly.  Behold,  now,  I  have  two  daughters,  who  have 
not  known  man,  I  would  bring  them  to  you,  and  you 
should  do  to  them  what  pleases  in  your  eyes ;  only  to 
these  men  do  nothing,  because  they  have  entered  under 
the  shadow  of  my  dwelling.2  And  they  said,  Go  in, 
however !  And  they  said,  One  came  to  sojourn,  and, 
behold,  he  judgeth  judgment !  Now  will  we  do  worse 
to  thee  than  to  them ;  and  they  prevailed  against  the 
man,  against  Lot,  greatly,  and  came  nigh  to  shatter  the 
door.  And  the  men  put  forth  their  hands,  and  brought 
in  Lot  to  be  with  them  in  the  house,  and  shut  the 
door.  And  the  men  who  were  at  the  gate  of  the  house 
they  smote  with  blindness,3  from  the  little  to  the  great, 
and  they  were  wearied  to  find  the  gate.  And  the  men 
said  to  Lot,  Whomsoever  thou  hast  yet  here,  thy  son- 
in-law,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  daughters,  and  all  that 
thou  hast  in  the  city,  lead  out  from  the  place  :  for  we 
will  destroy  this  place,  because  their  cry  is  great  before 

a  “Under  the  shadow  of  my  family.” — Sam.  Vera. 

3  Or,  “  with  dizziness  of  the  eyes.”  Shabriria,  which  Castel  defines, 
“  Scotomata ,  subitoe  oculorum  tenebrce  cum  vertigines 


72  TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  hath  sent  us  to  destroy  it.  And 
Lot  went  forth,  and  spake  with  his  sons-in-law,  the 
takers  of  his  daughters,  and  said,  Arise,  come  forth  from 
this  place  ;  for  the  Lord  will  destroy  the  city.  And  he 
was  as  a  trifler  in  the  eyes  of  his  sons-in-law.  And  it 
was  as  the  morning  rose  that  the  angels  were  urgent 
upon  Lot,  saying,  Arise,  take  thy  wife  and  thy  two 
daughters  who  are  found  faithful  with  thee,  lest  thou  be 
smitten  with  the  punishment  of  the  city.  But  he 
delayed  ;  and  the  men  laid  hold  of  his  hands,  and  of  the 
hand  of  his  wife,  and  of  the  hand  of  his  two  daughters ; 
for  the  Lord  had  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  they  brought 
him  forth,  and  set  him  without  the  city.  And  it  was, 
when  he  had  brought  them  without,  he  said,  Be  merciful 
on  thy  life,  look  not  behind  thee,  and  stand  not  in  all 
the  plain,  escape  to  the  mountain  for  deliverance,  lest 
thou  perish.  And  Lot  said  to  them,  Be  entreated,  O 
Lord  ;  behold  now,  Thy  servant  hath  found  mercy  before 
Thee,  and  Thou  hast  magnified  Thy  goodness  which 
Thou  hast  shown  me  in  saving  my  life,  and  I  cannot 
take  refuge  in  the  mountain,  lest  evil  befall  me,  and  I 
die.  Behold  now,  this  city  is  nigh,  to  flee  there  ;  and 
it  is  (but)  small ;  let  me  now  escape  thither.  Is  it  not 
small  ?  and  my  life  shall  be  sustained.  And  He  said 
to  him.  Behold,  I  have  accepted  thee 4  in  this  thing 
also,  in  that  I  will  not  overthrow  the  city  for  which 
thou  hast  prayed.  Haste,  escape  thither  ;  for  I  cannot 
do  anything  until  thou  be  come  thither.  Therefore  he 
called  the  name  of  the  city  Zoar.5  The  sun  had  come 
forth  upon  the  earth,  and  Lot  entered  Zoar.  And  the 
Lord  rained  upon  Sedom  and  upon  Amorah  sulphur  and 
fire  from  before  the  Lord  from  the  heavens,  and  destroyed 
those  cities  and  all  the  plain,  and  all  the  dwellers  in  the 
cities  and  the  herbage  of  the  earth.  And  his  wife 
4  “  Accepted  thy  face.”  *  Little. 


ON  GENESIS. 


73 


XIX.] 

looked  behind  her,  and  she  became  a  statue  of  salt. 
And  Abraham  ascended  in  the  morning 6  to  the  place 
where  he  had  ministered  in  prayer  before  the  Lord ;  and 
he  looked  toward  Sedom  and  Amorah,  and  upon  all  the 
place  of  the  plain  land,  and  saw,  and,  behold,  the  smoke 
of  the  land  went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a  furnace.  And  it 
was  when  the  Lord  destroyed  the  cities  of  the  plain, 
that  the  Lord  remembered  Abraham,  and  sent  Lot  from 
the  midst  of  the  overthrow,  when  He  overthrew  the 
cities  in  which  Lot  dwelt.  And  Lot  went  up  from 
Zoar,  and  dwelt  in  the  mountain,  and  his  two  daughters 
with  him :  for  he  feared  to  dwell  in  Zoar ;  and  he  dwelt 
in  a  cavern,  he  and  his  two  daughters.  And  the  elder 
said  to  the  younger,  Our  father  is  aged,  and  there  is  no 
man  in  the  earth  to  go  in  unto  us  according  to  the  way 
of  all  the  earth.  Come,  we  will  pour  father  wine,  and 
will  lie  with  him,  and  raise  up  sons 7  from  our  father. 
And  they  poured  their  father  wine  in  that  night ;  and 
the  elder  went  in  and  lay  with  her  father ;  and  he  knew 
not,  in  her  lying  down  nor  in  her  rising  up.  And  it 
was  in  the  day  which  followed  that  the  elder  said  to 
the  younger.  Behold,  I  lay  yesterday  with  the  father : 
let  us  give  wine  also  in  the  night,  and  go  thou  in,  lie 
with  him,  and  we  will  raise  up  sons  from  our  father. 
And  they  gave  that  night  also  wine  to  their  father,  and 
the  younger  arose  and  lay  with  him  ;  and  he  knew  not, 
in  her  lying  down  nor  in  her  rising  up.  And  the  two 
daughters  of  Lot  conceived  from  their  father ;  and  the 
elder  brought  forth  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Moab  : 
he  is  the  father  of  the  Moabaee  unto  this  day.  And 
the  younger  also  brought  forth  a  son,  and  she  called  his 
name  Bar  Ammi :  he  is  the  father  of  the  B'ni  Ammon 
unto  this  day. 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  beshelu  shoJcer,  “  in  the  stillness  of  the  morning.” 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  and  we  shall  live  in  the  sons  of  our  father.” 

E 


74  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP.' 

XX.  And  Abraham  migrated  from  thence  to  the 
southern  land,  and  dwelt  between  Eekam  and  Ha- 
gra ; 8  and  he  sojourned  in  Gerar.9  And  Abraham  said 
of  Sarah  his  wife,  She  is  my  sister.  And  Abimelek, 
king  of  Gerar,1  sent  and  took  Sarah.  And  the  word 
came  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  to  Abimelek  in  a 
dream  of  the  night,  and  said  to  him.  Behold,  thou 
diest,  on  account  of  the  woman  whom  thou  hast  taken, 
and  she  a  mau's  wife.  But  Abimelek  had  not  come 
nigh  her.  And  he  said,  Lord,  wilt  Thou  also  kill  the 
innocent  people  ?  Did  he  not  say  to  me,  She  is  my 
sister  ?  And  she  also  said,  He  is  my  brother.  In  the 
rectitude  of  my  heart,  and  the  cleanness  of  my  hands, 
have  I  done  this.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him  in  a 
dream.  It  is  also  manifest  to  Me  that  in  the  integrity 
of  thy  heart  thou  hast  done  this,  and  I  have  also 
restrained  thee  from  sinning  before  Me;2  therefore  I 
have  not  permitted  thee  to  approach  to  her.  And  now 
return  the  man's  wife ;  for  he  is  a  prophet,  and  he  will 
pray  for  thee,  and  thou  shalt  live.  But  if  thou  wilt 
not  return  (her),  know  that  dying  thou  shalt  die,3  thou, 
and  ail  who  are  thine.  And  Abimelek  arose  in  the 
morning,  and  called  all  his  servants,  and  spake  all  these 
words  before  them ;  and  the  men  feared  greatly.  And 
Abimelek  called  Abraham,  and  said  to  him,  What  hast 
thou  done  to  us,  and  in  what  have  I  sinned  against 
thee,  that  thou  shouldst  have  brought  upon  me  and 
upon  my  kingdom  a  great  sin?4  Works  which  are 
not  worthy  to  be  done  hast  thou  done  with  me.  And 
Abimelek  said  to  Abraham,  What  sawest  thou,  that 

8  Heb.,  “between  Kadesb  and  Shur.”  9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Askelon.” 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Shultan  of  Askelon.” 

9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  from  becoming  unclean  before  Me.” 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  "perishing  thou  shalt  perish.” 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “a  great  pollution.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


75 


XXI.] 

thou  didst  this  thing?  And  Abraham  spake,  Because 
I  said,  Perhaps  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  not  in  this  place, 
and  they  will  kill  me  on  account  of  my  wife.  Never¬ 
theless,  in  truth  she  is  my  sister,  the  daughter  of  my 
father,  but  not  the  daughter  of  my  mother ;  and  she 
became  my  wife.  And  it  was,  when  the  people  erred 
after  the  works  of  their  hands,  the  Lord  did  bring  me 
near  to  the  fear  of  Himself,  from  (among)  the  house  s  of 
my  father.  And  I  said  to  her,  This  is  thy  favour  which 
thou  canst  do  for  me ;  in  every  place  through  which  we 
pass,  say  of  me,  He  is  my  brother.  And  Abimelek 
took  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  servants,  and  handmaidens, 
and  gave  to  Abraham,  and  returned  to  him  Sarah  his 
wife.  And  Abimelek  said,  Behold,  my  land  is  before 
thee :  where  it  is  pleasant  in  thine  eyes,  dwell.  And  to 
Sarah  he  said,  Behold,  I  have  given  a  thousand  seleen 
of  silver  to  thy  brother ;  behold,  that  is  to  thee  a  veil 6  of 
honour,  for  my  having  sent  to  take  thee,  and  to  see 
thee,  and  all  that  is  with  thee;  and  concerning  all 
whatever  thou  hast  spoken  thou  art  reproved.  And 
Abraham  prayed  before  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  healed 
Abimelek,  and  his  wife,  and  his  handmaids,  and  they 
were  revived  :  for  the  Lord  had  shut  all  the  wombs  of 
the  house  of  Abimelek,  on  account  of  Sarah,  the  wife 
of  Abraham. 

XXI.  And  the  Lord  remembered  Sarah  as  He  had 
said  ;  and  the  Lord  did  unto  Sarah  according  as  He  had 
spoken.  And  Sarah  conceived  and  bare  unto  Abraham 
a  son  in  his  old  age,  in  the  time  of  which  the  Lord  had 
told  him.  And  Abraham  called  the  name  of  his  son 
who  was  bom  to  him,  whom  Sarah  bare  to  him,  Izhak. 
And  Abraham  circumcised  Izhak  his  son  (when)  the  son 
of  eight  days,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  him.  And 

6  Or,  “  covering  of  the  eyes.” 

E  2 


5  Sam.  Vers., “tabernacle.3 


76  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Abraham  was  the  son  of  a  hundred  years  when  Izhak 
his  son  was  born  to  him.  And  Sarah  said,  The  Lord 
hath  made  me  to  have  gladness ;  every  one  who  heareth 
will  give  me  joy.  And  she  said,  Faithful  is  He  who 
spake  unto  Abraham,  and  certified  that  Sarah  should 
suckle  children  ;  for  she  hath  born  a  son  in  his  old  age. 
And  the  child  grew,  and  was  weaned ;  and  Abraham 
made  a  great  feast  in  the  day  when  Izhak  wTas 
weaned.7  And  Sarah  observed  the  son  of  Hagar  the 
Mizritha,  whom  she  bare  to  Abraham,  deriding.  And 
she  said,  Cast  out  this  handmaid  and  her  son  ;  for  the 
son  of  the  handmaid  shall  not  inherit  with  my  son,  with 
Izhak.  And  the  word  was  evil  exceedingly  in  the  eyes 
of  Abraham,  on  account  of  his  son.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Abraham,  Let  it  not  be  evil  in  thine  eyes  con¬ 
cerning  the  youth  and  concerning  thine  handmaid.  All 
that  Sarah  saith  to  thee  receive  from  her,  because  in 
Izhak  shall  thy  sons  be  called  to  thee.  And  also  the 
son  of  the  handmaid  will  I  set  for  a  people,  because  he 
is  thy  son.  And  Abraham  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and 
took  bread  and  a  skin  of  w7ater,  and  gave  to  Hagar, 
setting  upon  her  shoulder,  and  the  youth,8  and  dis¬ 
missed  her.  And  she  went,  and  wandered  in  the  desert 
of  the  well  of  Shava  (Beara  de  Shava).  And  the  water 
was  finished  from  the  skin ;  and  she  laid  the  youth 
under  one  of  the  trees,  and  went  and  sat  over  against, 
as  far  off  as  a  bow  flight :  for  she  said,  I  cannot  see 

the  death  of  the  child . And  she  sat  over  against,  and 

lifted  up  her  voice  and  wept.  And  the  voice  of  the 
youth  was  heard  before  the  Lord  ;  and  the  Angel  of  the 
Lord  called  to  Hagar  from  the  heavens,  and  said  to  her, 
What  to  thee,  Hagar  ?  Fear  not,  for  the  voice  of  the 
youth  is  heard  before  the  Lord  in  the  place  where  he  is. 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  in  the  day  of  the  (pelututh)  liberation  of  his  son.” 

8  Rabia ,  “  a  growing  child.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


77 


XXI.] 

Arise,  take  up  the  youth  and  strengthen  thine  hand  in 
him,1  because  for  a  great  people  have  I  appointed  him. 
And  the  Lord  opened2  her  eyes,  and  she  saw  the  well  of 
waters,  and  went  and  filled  the  skin  with  water,  and 
gave  the  youth  to  drink.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
was  the  Helper  of  the  youth,  and  he  grew  and  dwelt 
in  the  wilderness,  and  became  a  master  of  the  bow. 
And  he  dwelt  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran,  and  his 
mother  took  for  him  a  wife  from  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

And  it  was  in  that  time  that  Abimelek  and  Phikol, 
chief  of  his  host,  spake  to  Abraham,  saying,  The  Word 
of  the  Lord  is  thy  Helper  in  everything  thou  doest ; 
and  now  swear  to  me  here,  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord, 
that  thou  wilt  not  be  false  with  me,  nor  with  my  son, 
nor  with  my  son's  son ;  and  that  according  to  the 
good  which  I  have  done  to  thee  thou  wilt  do  with  me 
and  with  the  land  in  which  thou  art  a  sojourner.  And 
Abraham  said,  I  will  swear.  And  Abraham  reproved 
Abimelek,  on  account  of  the  well  of  waters  which  the 
servants  of  Abimelek  had  taken  by  force.3  And 
Abimelek  said,  I  knew  not  if  this  thing  had  been  done, 
and  thou  also  hadst  not  shown  me,  nor  have  I  heard,  but 
this  day.  And  Abraham  took  sheep  and  oxen,  and  gave 
to  Abimelek,  and  they  struck  both  of  them  a  covenant. 
And  Abraham  made  seven  lambs  stand  apart ;  and 
Abimelek  said  to  Abraham,  What  are  these  seven  lambs 
which  thou  hast  made  to  stand  apart  ?  And  he  said. 
That  thou  mayest  take  the  seven  lambs  from  my  hand, 
to  testify  for  me  that  I  have  digged  that  well.  There¬ 
fore  he  called  that  place  Beer  Shava,  because  there  they 
sware  together.  And  they  struck  a  covenant  at  Beer 

1  Or,  “on  him;”  “  hold  him  firmly.”  So  the  Latin,  Apprehende  manu 
tud  eum.  The  Samaritan  Version  ha9,  “  Take  the  youth,  and  fortify  thy 

hand  in  him.” 

1  Or,  “  illuminated.”  3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  had  taken  fraudulently.” 


78  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Sliava.  And  Abimelek  and  Phikol,4  the  chief  of  his 
host,  arose,  and  returned  to  the  land  of  the  Phelishtaee. 
And  he  planted  a  tree5  in  Beer  Sliava,  and  prayed  there 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  Most  High  God.6  And 
Abraham  sojourned  in  the  land  of  the  Phelishtaee  many 
days. 

XXII.  And  it  was  after  these  things  that  the  Lord 
tempted  Abraham  ;  and  He  said  to  him,  Abraham  ! 
And  he  said.  Behold,  I  am.  And  He  said.  Take  now 
thy  son,  thy  only,  whom  thou  lovest,  Izhak,  and  go  into 
the  land  of  worship,7  and  offer  him  before  Me  there,  a 
burnt  offering,  upon  one  of  the  mountains  which  I  will 
tell  thee.  And  Abraham  arose  in  the  morning,  and 
saddled  his  ass,  and  took  two  of  his  young  men  with 
him,  and  Izhak  his  son,  and  clave  the  wood  for  the 
burnt  offering,  and  arose  and  went  to  the  place  of  which 
the  Lord  had  spoken  to  him.  And  in  the  third  day 
Abraham  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  the  place  from  afar. 
And  Abraham  said  to  his  young  men,  Wait  you  here 
with  the  ass,  and  I  and  the  young  man  will  ascend 
yonder  and  worship,  and  return  to  you.  And  Abraham 
took  the  wood  of  the  burnt  offering,  and  laid  on  Izhak 
his  son ;  and  he  took  in  his  hand  the  fire  and  the  knife, 
and  they  went  both  of  them  as  one.  And  Izhak  spake 
to  Abraham  his  father,  and  said,  Pather  !  And  he  said, 
Behold,  I  am,  my  son.  And  he  said,  Behold  the  fire 
and  the  wood ;  but  where  is  the  lamb  for  the  burnt 
offering  ?  And  Abraham  said,  The  lamb  for  the  burnt 
offering  is  revealed  before  the  Lord,  my  son.  And  they 
went,  both  of  them,  as  one.  And  they  came  to  the 
place  of  which  the  Lord  had  told  him.  And  Abraham 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Pumkol,”  a  name  with  the  same  meaning  as  the 
Hebrew  form. 

5  Sam.  Vers.,  “a  paradise.” 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  the  Mighty,  the  Most  High.” 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  vision.” 


XXII.]  ON  GENESIS.  79 

builded  there  the  altar,  and  set  in  order  the  woods,  and 
bound  Izhak  his  son,  and  laid  him  upon  the  altar  above 
the  woods.  And  Abraham  stretched  forth  his  hand  and 
took  the  knife  to  cut  off  his  son.  And  the  Angel  of 
the  Lord  called  to  him  from  the  heavens,  and  said, 
Abraham,  Abraham !  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  am. 
And  he  said  to  him,  Stretch  not  out  thy  hand  upon  the 
youth,  neither  do  any  thing  to  him  :  for  now  I  know  that 
thou  fearest  the  Lord,  and  that  thou  hast  not  spared 
thy  only  son8  for  Me.  And  Abraham  lifted  up  his  eyes 
after  these  (words),  and  saw,  and  behold,  one  ram, 
holden  in  the  bush  by  his  horns.  And  Abraham  went 
and  took  the  ram,  and  offered  him  for  a  burnt  offering 
instead  of  his  son.  And  Abraham  worshipped  and 
prayed  there  in  that  place,  and  said  before  the  Lord, 
Here  shall  generations  worship :  wherefore  it  shall  be 
said  in  that  day.  In  this  mountain  Abraham  worshipped 
before  the  Lord.9  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  to 
Abraham  the  second  time  from  the  heavens,  and  said, 
By  my  Word  have  I  sworn,  saith  the  Lord,  because  thou 
hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  spared  thy  only  son, 
therefore,  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  multiplying  I 
will  multiply  thy  sons  as  the  stars  of  heaven  and  as  the 
sand  which  is  on  the  sea  shore ;  and  thy  sons  shall 
inherit  the  cities  of  their  enemies.  And  all  the  peoples 
of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  through  thy  son  :  forasmuch 
as  thou  hast  received  My  word.  And  Abraham 
returned  to  his  young  men,  and  they  arose  and  went 
together  unto  Beer  Shava,  and  Abraham  dwelt  in 
Beer  Shava. 

And  it  was  after  these  things  it  was  shown  to 
Abraham,  saying,  Behold,  Milcha,  also,  hath  born  sons 
to  Nachor,#thy  brother :  Uts  his  first-born,  and  Booz 

0  Sam.  Vers.,  “  the  son  of  thy  heart.” 

9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  In  the  mountain  the  Lord  will  see,  will  multiply.” 


80 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 

his  brother,  and  Kemuel  the  father  of  Aram,  and  Kesed, 
and  Chazu,  and  Phildash,  and  Yedlaph,  and  Bethuel. 
And  Bethuel  begat  Revekah.  These  eight  bare  Milcha 
to  Nahor,  brother  of  Abraham.  And  his  concubine, 
whose  name  was  Reiima,  she  also  bare  Tebach,  and 
Gacham,  and  Tachash,  and  Maaka. 


SECTION  V. 

CHAIYEY  SARAH. 

XXIII.  And  the  life  of  Sarah  was  a  hundred  and 
twenty  and  seven  years,  the  years  of  the  life  of  Sarah. 
And  Sarah  died  in  Kiryath-arba,  which  is  Hebron,  in 
the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  Abraham  came  to  mourn  for 
Sarah,  and  to  lament  her.  And  Abraham  rose  up  from 
the  presence  of  his  dead,  and  spake  with  the  sons  of 
Hittah,  saying,  I  am  a  guest  and  a  sojourner  with  you : 
give  me  the  possession  of  a  sepulchre  with  you,  that  I 
may  bury  my  dead  from  before  me.  And  the  sons  of 
Hittah  answered  Abraham,  saying  to  him.  Receive  from 
us  Ribbona ;  a  prince  before  the  Lord  art  thou  among 
us ;  in  the  best  of  our  sepulchres  bury  thy  dead.  No 
man  of  us  will  refuse  his  sepulchre  to  thee  for  the  burial 
of  thy  dead.  And  Abraham  rose  and  bowed  to  the 
people  of  the  land,  the  sons  of  Hittah.  And  he  spake 
with  them,  saying,  If  you  are  willing  in  your  minds  that 
I  should  bury  my  dead  from  before  me,  receive  from 
me,  and  request1  for  me  of  Ephron  bar  Zochar  that  he 
will  give  me  the  Double  Cavern,*  which  is  in  the  side  of 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  consult  with.” 

3  Mearath  Kaphelta.  Hebrew,  Mearath  Itamakphela,  “  the  double 
cave ;  ”  root,  kaphal ,  “  to  couple.”  LXX.,  rb  <riniK<uov  to  SnrAovv. 


XXIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  81 

his  field :  for  the  full  amount  (skelim)  of  silver  he  shall 
give  it  to  me  among  you  for  the  possession  of  a 
sepulchre.  But  Ephron  was  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the 
sons  of  Hittah ;  and  Ephron  the  Hittite  answered 
Abraham  before  the  sons  of  Hittah,  of  all  entering  the 
gate  of  the  city,  saying,  No,  my  lord ;  receive  of  me ;  I 
will  present  to  thee  the  field  and  the  cavern  which  is  in 
it ;  to  thee  will  I  present  it ;  in  sight  of  the  sons  of 
my  people  will  I  present  it  to  thee.  Bury  thy  dead. 
And  Abraham  bowed  before  the  people  of  the  land. 
And  he  spake  with  Ephron  before  the  people  of  the 
land,  saying,  Nevertheless,  if  thou  wilt  do  me  a  grace, 
receive  from  me  ;  I  will  give  money  for  the  field ;  take 
of  me,  and  I  will  bury  my  dead  there.  And  Ephron 
answered  Abraham,  saying  to  him,  My  lord,  receive  of 
me :  the  land  is  worth  four  hundred  sileen  of  silver ; 
between  me  and  thee  what  is  it  ?  Bury  thy  dead.  And 
Abraham  agreed  with  Ephron,  and  Abraham  weighed  to 
Ephron  the  silver  of  which  he  had  spoken  before  the 
sons  of  Hittah,  four  hundred  sileen  of  silver,  which  is 
received  in  merchandise  in  every  city.8  And  Ephron 
confirmed  the  field  in  which  is  the  double  cavern  which 
is  before  Mamre ;  the  field,  and  the  cavern  that  is 
therein,  and  all  the  trees  which  were  in  the  field,  in  all 
its  boundaries  round  about,  to  Abraham,  for  a  pur¬ 
chase,  in  the  sight4  of  the  sons  of  Hitah,  of  all  entering 
the  gate  of  the  city.  And  after  this  Abraham  buried 
Sarah  his  wife  in  the  double  cavern  of  the  field  which 
is  before  Mamre,  that  is  Hebron,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan. 
And  the  field  and  the  cavern  which  is  in  it  were  con¬ 
firmed  to  Abraham  for  the  possession  of  a  sepulchre 
from  the  sons  of  Hittah. 

XXIV.  And  Abraham  was  old,  (and)  advanced  in 


3  Or,  “province/ 


4  “  By  the  testimony  of.” 


82  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

days,  and  the  Lord  had  blessed  Abraham  in  all  things. 
And  Abraham  said  to  his  servant,  the  elder  of  his 
house,  who  had  authority  over  all  which  was  his,  Put 
now  thy  hand  under  my  thigh,  and  I  will  adjure  thee 
by  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  the  God  of  heaven  and  the 
God  of  the  earth,  that  thou  wilt  not  take  a  wife  for  my 
son  from  the  daughters  of  the  Kenaanaee  among  whom 
I  dwell.  But  to  my  country  and  to  my  kindred  thou 
wilt  go,  and  take  a  wife  for  my  son  Izhak.  And  the 
servant  said  to  him.  Perhaps  the  woman  will  not  be 
willing  to  come  after  me  to  this  land, — returning  am  I 
to  return  thy  son  to  the  land  from  which  thou  hast 
gone  forth  ?  And  Abraham  said  to  him.  Take  care 
that  thou  return  not  my  son  thither;  the  Lord,  the 
God  of  heaven,  who  took  me  from  the  house  of  my 
father  and  from  the  land  of  my  birth,  and  who  spake  to 
me,  and  sware  to  me,  saying,  I  will  give  thee  this  land, 
will  send  His  angel  before  thee,  and  thou  wilt  take  a 
wife  for  my  son  from  thence.  And  if  the  woman  be 
not  willing  to  come  after  thee,  thou  shalt  be  absolved 
from  this  my  oath ;  only  cause  not  my  son  to  return 
thither.  And  the  servant  put  his  hand  under  the  thigh 
of  Abraham  his  master,  and  sware  to  him  concerning 
that  matter.  And  the  servant  took  ten  camels  of  the 
camels  of  his  lord  and  went.  And  all  the  goods  of  his 
master  were  in  his  hand.  And  he  arose  and  went  to 
Aram,  which  is  upon  Phrath,  the  river,  to  the  city  of 
Nachor.  And  he  made  the  camels  rest  without  the  city 
at  a  well  of  waters  in  the  evening  time,  at  the  time  when 
they  came  forth  to  fill.  And  he  said.  Lord  God  of  my 
master  Abraham,  let  it,  I  pray,  be  opportune  with  me 
this  day,  and  deal  thou  graciously  with  my  master 
Abraham.  Behold,  I  stand  by  the  fountain  of  waters, 
and  the  daughters  of  the  men  of  the  city  will  come  forth 
to  draw  water.  Let  the  maiden  to  whom  I  shall  say, 


XXI Y.]  ON  GENESIS.  83 

Reach  thy  waterpot,  I  pray,  that  I  may  drink ;  and  she 
say,  Drink,  and  I  will  also  give  thy  camels  drink, — be 
she  whom  Thou  hast  prepared  for  Thy  servant,  for  Izhak : 
and  in  this  I  shall  know  that  Thou  hast  dealt  graciously 
with  my  master.  And  it  was  while  he  had  not  ceased 
to  speak  that,  behold,  Revekah  came  forth,  (she)  who 
was  born  to  Bethuel  the  son  of  Milcha,  wife  of  Nachor, 
brother  of  Abraham,  and  her  pitcher  upon  her  shoulder. 
And  the  maiden  was  very  fair  to  behold  ;  a  virgin,  and 
man  had  not  known  her;  and  she  descended  to  the 
fountain,  and  filled  her  pitcher,  and  came  up.  And  the 
servant  hasted  to  her  presence,  and  said,  Let  me  taste,  I 
pray,  a  little  water  from  thy  pitcher.  And  she  said. 
Drink,  Ribboni ;  and  she  made  haste,  and  held  her  pitcher 
upon  her  hand,  and  gave  him  to  drink.  And  when  she  had 
ended  giving  him  drink,  she  said,  Bor  thy  camels  also 
I  will  draw,  until  they  shall  have  enough  to  drink.  And 
she  hastened  and  poured  out  her  pitcher  into  the  place 
of  watering,  and  ran  again  to  the  well  to  fill,  and  she 
filled  for  all  his  camels.  And  the  man  wondered  at  her, 
gazing  silently,  to  know  whether  the  Lord  had  prospered 
his  way  or  not.  And  it  was  when  the  camels  had  drunk 
enough,  the  man  took  a  ring  {qadasha)  of  gold  weighing 
a  shekel,  and  two  bracelets  ( sherin )  for  the  hand 
weighing  ten  sileen  of  gold.  And  he  said,  Whose 
daughter  art  thou  ?  Tell  me,  I  pray,  whether  there  be 
room  in  thy  father's  house  sufficient  for  us  to  lodge  ? 
And  she  said  to  him,  I  am  the  daughter  of  Bethuel,  the 
son  of  Milcha,  whom  she  bare  to  Nachor.  And  she  said 
to  him,  There  is  much  straw  and  provender  with  us, 
also  room  enough  to  lodge.  And  the  man  kneeled,  and 
worshipped  before  the  Lord,  and  said,  Blessed  be  the 
Lord  the  God  of  my  master  Abraham,  who  hath  not 
withheld  His  grace  and  His  truth  from  my  master; 
and  me  hath  the  Lord  led  in  a  right  way  to  the 


84  TAHGTJM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

house  of  my  master’s  brother.  And  the  maiden  ran 
and  showed  these  things  to  her  mother's  house.  And 
Revekah  had  a  brother  whose  name  was  Laban ; 
and  Laban  ran  to  the  man  without  at  the  fountain. 
And  it  was  when  he  saw  the  ring  and  the  bracelets 
upon  the  hands  of  his  sister,  and  heard  the  words  of 
Revekah  his  sister,  saying,  As  this  spake  the  man  with 
me,  that  he  came  to  the  man,  and,  behold,  he  stood  by 
the  camels  at  the  fountain ;  and  he  said,  Enter,  blessed 
of  the  Lord ; s  why  standest  thou  without  ?  and  I  have  a 
prepared  house  and  a  proper  place  for  the  camels. 
And  the  man  entered  the  house,  and  he  loosed  the 
camels,  and  gave  straw  and  provender  for  the  camels, 
and  water  to  wash  his  feet,  and  the  feet  of  the  men  who 
were  with  him.  And  they  set  before  him  to  eat.  And 
he  said,  I  will  not  eat  until  I  have  spoken  my  words. 
And  he  said,  Speak.  And  he  said,  I  am  a  servant  of 
Abraham ;  and  the  Lord  hath  blessed  my  master 
much,  and  increased,  and  hath  given  to  him  sheep 
and  oxen,  silver  and  gold,  servants  and  handmaidens, 
camels  and  asses.  And  Sarah  the  wife  of  my  master 
bare  a  son  to  my  master  after  she  was  old,  and  he 
hath  given  to  him  all  that  he  hath.  And  my  mas¬ 
ter  adjured  me,  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife 
for  my  son  from  the  daughters  of  Kenaan  in  whose 
land  I  dwell;  but  thou  shalt  go  to  my  father's 
house,  and  to  my  kindred,  and  take  a  wife  for  my  son. 
And  I  said  to  my  master,  Perhaps  the  woman  will  not 
come  after  me.  And  he  said  to  me,  The  Lord  before 
whom  T  worship  will  send  His  angel  with  thee,  and  will 
prosper  thy  way,  and  thou  shalt  take  a  wife  for  my  son 
from  my  kindred  and  from  my  father's  house.  Then 
shalt  thou  be  absolved  from  my  oath,  when  thou  hast 


5  Sana.  Vers.,  “blessed  of  the  Lord  who  comest. 


ON  GENESIS. 


85 


XXIV.] 


gone  to  my  kindred :  and  if  they  will  not  give  unto 
thee,  thou  shalt  be  absolved  from  my  oath.  And  I  came 
this  day  to  the  fountain,  and  I  said,  Lord  God  of  my 
master  Abraham,  if  now  it  is  pleasing  before  thee  to 
prosper  the  way  in  which  I  go,  behold,  I  stand  at  the 
fountain  of  waters,  and  a  damsel  may  come  forth  to 
fill ;  and  I  will  say  to  her.  Give  me  to  drink,  I  entreat, 
a  little  water  from  thy  pitcher  ;  and  she  shall  say  to  me. 
Both  for  thee  and  thy  camels  also  I  will  fill, — let  her 
be  the  wife  whom  the  Lord  hath  ordained  for  my 
master's  son.  And  I  had  not  left  speaking  in  my  heart, 
when,  behold,  Revekah  came  forth,  with  her  pitcher 
upon  her  shoulder,  and  went  down  to  the  fountain  and 
filled.  And  I  said  to  her,  Let  me  now  drink.  And 
she  hastened  and  let  down  her  pitcher,  and  said,  Drink, 
and  I  will  give  thy  camels  also  drink.  And  I  drank, 
and  the  camels  also  she  watered.  And  I  asked  her 
and  said,  Whose  daughter  art  thou  ?  and  she  said,  I 
am  the  daughter  of  Bethuel,  the  son  of  Nachor,  whom 
Milcha  bare  to  him.  And  I  set  an  ornament  on  her 
face,  and  bracelets  upon  her  hand,  and  bowed  down 
and  worshipped  before  the  Lord,  and  blessed  the  Lord 
God  of  my  master  Abraham  who  had  led  me  in  a  true 
way,  to  take  the  daughter  of  my  master's  brother  for 
his  son.  And  now,  if  you  will  act  with  goodness 
and  truth  with  my  master,  show  me ;  and  if  not,  I  will 
turn  to  the  right  or  to  the  left.  And  Laban  answered, 
and  Bethuel,  and  said.  Prom  before  the  Lord  the  word 
hath  come  forth  :  we  have  no  power  to  say  to  thee 
either  evil  or  good.  Behold,  Revekah  is  before  thee; 
take  (her)  and  go;  and  let  her  be  the  wife  of  thy 
master's  son,  as  the  Lord  hath  spoken.  And  it  was, 
when  the  servant  of  Abraham  heard  these  words,  he 
worshipped  on  the  earth  before  the  Lord.  And  the 
servant  brought  out  vessels  of  silver  and  vessels  of  gold 


86 


TARGUM  O Y  ONKELOS 


[chap. 


and  vestments,  and  gave  to  Revekah,  and  presents  gave 
he  to  her  brother  and  to  her  mother.  And  they  ate 
and  drank,  he  and  the  men  who  were  with  him,  and 
they  lodged  and  arose  in  the  morning.  And  he  said. 
Send  me  to  my  master.  And  her  brother  said,  and  her 
mother,  Let  the  maiden  abide  with  us  a  season  of  time, 
or  ten  months ;  after  that  she  shall  go.  And  he  said 
to  them,  Keep  me  not  back  :  the  Lord  will  direct  my 
way,  and  I  will  proceed  to  my  master.  And  they  said, 
We  will  call  the  maiden,  and  hear  what  she  will  say. 
And  they  called  Revekah,  and  said  to  her,  Wilt  thou  go 
with  this  man  ?  and  she  said,  I  will  go .  And  they 
dismissed  Revekah  their  sister,  and  her  nurse,  and  the 
servant  of  Abraham,  and  his  men.  And  they  blessed 
Revekah,  and  said  to  her.  Thou  art  our  sister ;  be  thou 
(multiplied)  unto  thousands  and  myriads,  and  may  thy 
children  inherit  the  cities  of  those  who  hate  them. 
And  Revekah  arose,  and  her  maidens ;  and  they  rode 
upon  camels,  and  went  after  the  man.  And  the 
servant  took  Revekah  and  went.  And  Izhak  ascended 
in  coming  from  the  well  over  which  the  Angel  of  Life 
(; malak  qayama,  “  the  Eternal  Angel  ”)  had  appeared  ; 
and  he  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the  south.  And  Izhak 
wrent  forth  to  pray  in  the  field,  at  the  presence  of  the 
evening;  and  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  looked,  and, 
behold,  the  camels  came.  And  Revekah  lifted  up  her 
eyes,  and  saw  Izhak ;  and  she  bowed  herself  on  the 
camel.  And  she  said  to  the  servant.  Who  is  the  man 
who  is  walking  in  the  field  to  meet  us  ?  And  the 
servant  said,  He  is  my  master.  And  she  took  a  mantle 
and  covered  herself.  And  the  servant  recounted  to 
Izhak  all  the  things  which  he  had  done.  And  Izhak 
brought  her  to  the  tabernacle  :  and  he  saw,  and,  behold, 
her  works  were  right  as  the  works  of  Sarah  his  mother. 
And  he  took  Revekah,  and  she  became  his  wife,  and 


XXV.]  ON  GENESIS.  87 

he  loved  her.  And  Izhak  was  comforted  after  his 
mother. 

XXV.  And  Abraham  added,  and  took  a  wife,  and 
her  name  was  Keturah;  and  she  bare  to  him  Zimran, 
and  Yokshan,  and  Medan,  and  Midyan,  and  Yeshbach, 
and  Shuvach.  And  Yokshan  begat  Sheba,  and  Dedan ; 
and  the  sons  of  Dedan  have  been  in  camps  and  taber¬ 
nacles  and  islands.6  And  the  sons  of  Midyan,  Eipha, 
and  Epher,  and  Hanok,  and  Abidah,  and  Eldaah :  all 
these  the  sons  of  Keturah.  And  Abraham  gave  all 
that  he  had  unto  Izhak.  But  to  the  sons  of  the  con¬ 
cubine  of  Abraham  gave  Abraham  portions,  and  sent 
them  from  his  son  Izhak,  while  he  yet  lived,  eastward 
in  the  land  of  the  sunrise.  And  these  are  the  days  of 
the  years  of  the  life  of  Abraham  that  he  lived,  an  hun¬ 
dred  and  seventy  and  five  years.  And  Abraham  expired, 
and  died  in  a  good  old  age,  aged,  and  full  of  days ;  and 
he  was  gathered  unto  his  people.  And  Izhak  and 
Ishmael  his  sons  buried  him  in  the  twofold  cave  in  the 
field  of  Ephron  bar  Zochar,  the  Hittah,  which  is  before 
Mamre ;  the  field  which  Abraham  bought  from  the 
sons  of  Hittah :  there  they  buried  Abraham  and  Sarah 
his  wife.  And  it  was  after  the  death  of  Abraham  that 
the  Lord  blessed  Izhak  his  son,  and  Izhak  dwelt  at  the 
well  over  which  the  Eternal  Angel  had  appeared.  And 
these  are  the  generations  of  Ishmael  bar  Abraham, 
whom  Hagar  the  Mizretha,  the  handmaid  of  Sarah,  bare 
to  Abraham.  And  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of 
Ishmael  by  their  names  in  their  generations.  The 
firstborn  of  Ishmael,  Nebaioth;  and  Kedar,  and  Adbeel, 
and  Mibsam,  and  Mishma,  and  Duma,  and  Massa;  Hadad, 
and  Thema,  Yetoor,  Naphish,  and  Kedemah.  These 
are  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  and  these  are  their  names  in 
their  villages  and  their  towns,  twelve  chiefs  of  their 
8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  were  Ritorim  and  Amshakim  and  Amanim.” 


88  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

peoples.7  And  these  are  the  years  of  the  life  of  Ishmael, 
a  hundred  and  thirty  and  seven  years.  And  he  expired 
and  died,  and  was  gathered  to  his  people.  And  they 
have  dwelt  from  Havilah  unto  Hagra,  which  looketh 
toward  Mizraim,  reaching  unto  Athoor.  In  the  pre¬ 
sence  of  all  his  brethren  he  dwelt. 


SECTION  VI. 

TOLEDOTH. 

And  these  are  the  generations  of  Izhak  bar  Abraham. 
Abraham  begat  Izhak ;  and  Izhak  was  a  son  of  forty 
years  when  he  took  Revekah,  the  daughter  of  Bethuel 
the  Aramite  of  Padan  Aram,  the  sister  of  Laban  the 
Aramite,  to  be  his  wife.  And  Izhak  prayed  before  the 
Lord  for  his  wife,  because  she  was  barren ;  and  the  Lord 
hearkened  to  his  prayer,  and  Revekah  his  wife  con¬ 
ceived.  And  the  children  struggled  in  her  womb  ;  and 
she  said,  If  thus,  why  have  I  conceived  ?  And  she 
went  to  seek  instruction  before  the  Lord  :  and  the  Lord 
said  to  her,  Two  nations  are  in  thy  womb,  and  two 
kingdoms  from  thy  womb  shall  be  divided,  and  (one) 
kingdom  (shall  be)  stronger  than  (the  other)  kingdom, 
and  the  greater  shall  be  subject  to  the  less.  And  her 
days  were  fulfilled  to  give  birth.  And,  behold,  twins 
were  in  her  womb.  And  the  first  came  forth  red,  all 
of  him  as  a  garment  (covering)  of  hair ;  and  they  called 
his  name  Esau.  And  afterwards  came  forth  his  brother, 
and  his  hand  grasped  the  heel  of  Esau,  and  they  called 
his  name  Jakob.8  And  Izhak  was  sixty  years  old  when 
he  begat  them.  And  the  youths  grew ;  and  Esau  was  a 
man  of  idleness,  a  man  going  out  into  the  field ;  and 


7  Sara.  Vers.,  “  according  to  their  elevations.” 


Ya-a-kov. 


89 


XXVI.]  ON  GENESIS. 

Jakob  was  a  man  of  peace,  a  minister  of  the  house  of 
instruction.  And  Izhak  loved  Esau,  because  he  ate  of 
his  hunting,  and  Rivekah  loved  Jakob.  And  Jakob 
dressed  pottage,  and  Esau  came  from  the  field,  and  he 
was  faint.  And  Esau  said  to  Jakob,  Let  me  taste  now 
of  that  red,  that  red !  for  I  am  faint :  (therefore  he 
called  his  name  Edom  i1)  and  Jakob  said,  Sell  this  day 
thy  birthright  to  me.  And  Esau  said,  Behold,  I  am 
going  to  die,  and  what  is  this  birthright  to  me  ?  2  And 
Jakob  said.  Swear  to  me  to-day ;  and  he  sware  to  him 
and  he  sold  his  birthright  to  Jakob.  And  Jakob  gave 
to  Esau  bread  and  pottage  of  lentiles.  And  he  ate  and 
drank,  and  arose,  and  went :  and  Esau  despised  the 
birthright. 

XXYI.  And  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land,  besides 
the  former  famine  that  was  in  the  days  of  Abraham  ; 
and  Izhak  went  to  Abimelek,  king  of  the  Philistaee,  to 
Gerar.3  And  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  and  said.  Go 
not  down  into  Mizraim,4  remain  in  the  land  as  I  have 
told  thee;  dwell  in  this  land,  and  My  Word  shall  be  to 
thee  for  a  helper;  and  I  will  bless  thee.  Eor  to  thee 
and  to  thy  son  will  I  give  all  these  lands ;  and  I  will 
confirm  the  oath  that  I  have  sworn  to  Abraham  thy 
father ;  and  I  will  multiply  thy  son  as  the  stars  of 
heaven,  and  will  give  thy  son  all  these  lands,  and 
through  thy  son  shall  all  the  peoples  of  the  earth  be 
blessed,  because  Abraham  obeyed  My  word,  and  kept 
the  keeping  of  My  word.  My  commandments,  My  cove¬ 
nant,  and  My  law.  And  Izhak  dwelt  at  Gerar ;  and  the 
men  of  the  place  asked  respecting  his  wife.  And  he  said, 
She  is  my  sister ;  for  he  feared  to  say.  My  wife,  lest 
the  men  of  the  place  should  kill  him  on  account  of 

1  "Red.” 

a  Sam.  Vers.,  "  and  what  is  my  business  with  the  birthright  ?  ” 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “at  Askelou.”  4  Sam.  Vers.,  “Nopliig.” 


90  TAEGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Revekah ;  for  she  was  of  beautiful  aspect.  And  it  was 
when  he  had  been  there  many  days  that  Abimelek  the 
king  of  the  Philistaee  looked  from  a  window,  and,  be¬ 
hold,  Izhak  was  sporting  with  Revekah  his  wife.  And 
Abimelek  called  Izhak  and  said.  Nevertheless,  behold, 
she  is  thy  wife :  why  then  hast  thou  said,  She  is  my 
sister  ?  And  Izhak  said  to  him,  Because  I  said.  Lest 
I  be  killed  on  account  of  her.  And  Abimelek  said, 
"What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  to  us  ?  It  might 
have  been  that  some  one  of  the  people  had  lain  with 
thy  wife,  and  thou  wouldst  have  brought  upon  us  the 
guilt.  And  Abimelek  commanded  all  the  people  saying, 
Whoever  injureth  this  man  shall  surely  be  put  to  death. 
And  Izhak  sowed  in  the  land,  and  found  in  that  year  a 
hundred  fold  on  that  which  he  had  expended,  (or  esti¬ 
mated,)  and  the  Lord  blessed  him ;  and  the  man  in¬ 
creased,  and  went  on  multiplying  and  increasing,  until 
he  had  increased  greatly.  And  he  had  flocks  of  sheep, 
and  herds  of  cattle,  and  many  servants ;  and  the  Philis¬ 
taee  were  envious  of  him.  And  all  the  wells  that  the 
servants  of  his  father  had  digged  in  the  days  of  Abra¬ 
ham  the  Philistaee  stopped  up,  and  filled  with  dust. 
And  Abimelek  said  to  Izhak,  Go  from  us ;  for  thou  art 
much  stronger  than  we.  And  Izhak  went  thence,  and 
sojourned  in  the  vale  of  Gerar,  and  dwelt  there.  And 
Izhak  returned,  and  digged  the  well  of  water  which 
they  had  digged  in  the  days  of  Abraham  his  father,  and 
which  the  Philistaee  had  stopped  after  the  death  of 
Abraham ;  and  he  called  their  names  after  the  names 
by  which  his  father  had  called  them.  And  the  servants 
of  Izhak  digged  in  the  valley,  and  found  there  a  well 
of  flowing 0  waters.  And  the  shepherds  of  Gerar  strove 
with  the  shepherds  of  Izhak,  saying,  The  water  is  ours ; 
and  he  called  the  name  of  the  well  Contention,  because 
5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  sweet.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


91 


XXVI.] 


they  had  contended  with  him.  And  they  digged  ano¬ 
ther  well,  and  they  strove  also  on  account  of  it,  and  he 
called  the  name  of  it  Hatred.  And  he  went  up  from 
thence,  and  digged  another  well ;  and  for  that  they 
strove  not :  and  he  called  the  name  of  it  Spaciousness. 
For  he  said,  Because  now  hath  the  Lord  enlarged  us, 
and  we  shall  spread  abroad  in  the  land.  And  he  went 
up  from  thence  to  Beershava ;  and  the  Lord  appeared 
to  him  in  the  night,  and  said,  I  am  the  God  of  Abra¬ 
ham  thy  father ;  fear  not :  for  in  thy  help  is  My  Word ; 
and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  will  multiply  thy  sons  for  the 
sake  of  Abraham  My  servant.  And  he  builded  there 
an  altar,  and  prayed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And 
he  spread  there  his  tabernacle ;  and  the  servants  of 
Izhak  digged  there  a  well.  And  Abimelek  came  to 
him  from  Gerar,  and  a  company  of  his  friends,  and 
Phikol 6  the  chief  of  his  host.  And  Izhak  said  to  him. 
Why  have  you  come  to  me,  when  you  have  hated  me, 
and  sent  me  from  you?  And  they  said,  Seeing  we 
have  seen  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  for  thy  help ;  and 
we  have  said,  Let  the  oath  which  was  between  our 
fathers  be  now  confirmed  between  us  and  thee,  and  let 
us  enter  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  that  thou  do  us  no 
evil,  as  we  have  not  injured  thee,  and  as  we  have  done 
thee  only  good,  and  we  will  leave  thee  in  peace;  thou 
art  now  blessed  of  the  Lord.  And  he  made  them  a 
feast,  and  they  ate  and  drank.  And  they  arose  in  the 
morning  and  covenanted,  each  man  with  his  brother ; 
and  Izhak  dismissed  them,  and  they  went  from  him  in 
peace.  And  it  was  in  that  day  that  the  servants  of 
Izhak  came  and  showed  him  concerning  the  well  that 
they  had  digged.  And  they  said  to  him,  We  have  found 
water.  And  he  called  it  Sheva,  (the  swearing). 

8  Here  the  Sam.  Vers,  metaphrases  the  name  into  “  Mimarkol,”  with 
the  same  import  as  “  Pumkol  ”  in  chap.  xxi. 


92  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP.  1 

Wherefore  the  name  of  the  city  is  Beer-sheva  unto 
this  day. 

And  Esau  was  the  son  of  forty  years,  and  he  took  to  ) 
wife  Jehudith,  daughter  of  Beeri  the  Hittite,  and  Base-  3 
math,  daughter  of  Elon  the  Hittite ;  and  they  wTere  ] 
rebels  and  irritators  against  the  word  of  Izhak  and  3 
Revekah. 

XXVII.  And  it  was,  when  Izhak  was  old,  and  his  j 
eyes  were  darkened  from  seeing,  that  he  called  Esau,  i 
his  eldest  son,  and  said  to  him,  My  son.  And  he  said 
to  him,  Behold,  I  am.  And  he  said,  Behold  now,  I 
am  old,  I  know  not  the  day  that  I  shall  die  :  and  now 
take  thy  weapons,  thy  knife  and  thy  bow,  and  go  out 
into  the  field,  and  hunt  me  venison,  and  make  me  food 7  i 
such  as  I  like,  and  bring  it  to  me,  and  I  will  eat,  and  \ 
my  soul  shall  bless  thee  before  I  die.  And  Revekah  ] 
listened  as  Izhak  was  speaking  with  his  son  Esau.  1 
And  Esau  went  into  the  field  to  hunt  venison  to  briug 
it.  And  Revekah  spake  to  Jakob,  her  son,  saying,  i 
Behold,  I  have  heard  thy  father  speaking  with  Esau  ] 
thy  brother,  saying,  Bring  me  now  venison,  and  make  J 
me  food,  and  1  will  eat  and  bless  thee  in  the  presence  1 
of  the  Lord  before  I  die.  And  now,  my  son,  obey  me 
in  what  I  command  thee.  Go  now  to  the  flock,  and  « 
take  thee  from  thence  two  good  goat-kids,  and  make  j 
them  into  food  for  thy  father  such  as  he  loves,  aud  1 
carry  in  to  thy  father,  that  he  may  eat,  aud  bless  thee  j 
before  he  die.  And  Jakob  said  to  Revekah  his  mother,  J 
Behold,  Esau  my  brother  is  a  hairy  man,  and  I  am  a  ] 
smooth  man.  It  may  be  that  my  father  will  feel  me,  j 
and  I  shall  be  in  his  eyes  as  a  deceiver,  and  shall  bring  l 
upon  me  curses,  and  not  blessings.  And  his  mother  j 
said  to  him,  Unto  me  it  hath  been  said  in  prophecy,  j 
that  there  shall  be  no  curses  upon  thee,  my  son ;  only  j 
7  Tavshelin ,  "  stewed  meats.” 


93 


XXVII.]  ON  GENESIS. 

obey  me,  and  go,  and  take  for  me.  And  he  went,  and 
took,  and  brought  to  his  mother,  and  his  mother  made 
food  such  as  his  father  loved.  And  Eevekah  took  the 
vestments  of  Esau  her  elder  son,  (which  were)  clean, 
and  were  with  her  in  the  house,  and  clothed  Jakob  her 
younger  son.  And  with  the  skins  of  the  kids  she 
covered  his  hands,  and  upon  the  smoothness  of  his 
neck.  And  she  gave  the  food  and  the  bread  that  she 
had  made  into  the  hand  of  Jakob  her  son.  And  he 
went  in  to  his  father,  and  said.  Father  !  And  he  said. 
Behold  me.  Who  art  thou,  my  son?  And  Jakob 
said  to  his  father,  I  am  Esau,  thy  firstborn :  I  have  done 
as  thou  hast  told  me.  Arise  now,  turn  thyself,  and 
eat  of  my  venison,  that  thy  soul  may  bless  me.  And 
Izhak  said  to  his  son,  What  is  this,  thou  hast  so 
quickly  found,  my  son  ?  And  he  said,  Because  the 
Lord  thy  God  prepared  it  before  me.  And  Izhak  said 
to  Jakob,  Draw  near  now,  and  I  will  feel  thee,  my  son, 
whether  thou  be  my  son  Esau  or  not.  And  Jakob 
drew  near  to  Izhak  his  father,  and  he  felt  him,  and 
said,  The  voice  is  the  voice  of  Jakob ;  but  the  hands 
are  the  hands  of  Esau.  And  he  could  not  be  known, 
because  his  hands  were  hairy,  like  the  hands  of  Esau 
his  brother ;  and  he  blessed  him.  And  he  said,  But  art 
thou  my  son  Esau  ?  And  he  said,  I  am !  And  he 
said.  Bring  before  me,  and  I  will  eat  of  my  son's 
venison,  that  my  soul  may  bless  thee.  And  he  offered 
to  him,  and  he  did  eat ;  and  he  brought  him  wine,  and 
he  drank.  And  Izhak  his  father  said  to  him,  Approach 
now,  and  kiss  me,  my  son.  And  he  approached,  and 
kissed  him,  and  he  smelled  the  fragrance  of  his  vest¬ 
ments,  and  blessed  him,  and  said,  Lo,  the  smell  of  my 
son  is  as  the  fragrance  of  a  field  which  the  Lord  hath 
blessed.  And  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  of  the  dew  of 
heaven,  and  of  the  goodness  of  the  earth,  and  abund- 


94 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

ance  of  corn  and  of  wine.  Let  the  peoples  serve  thee,  and 
kingdoms  be  subservient  to  thee :  be  thou  chief  of  thy 
brethren,  and  let  the  sons  of  thy  mother  worship  thee : 
cursed  shall  they  be  who  curse  thee,  and  blessed  shall 
they  be  who  bless  thee  ! 

And  it  was  when  Izhak  had  completed  to  bless  Jakob, 
and  Jakob  had,  going,  only  gone  out  from  Izhak  his 
father,  that  Esau  his  brother  came  in  from  his  hunt¬ 
ing.  And  he  had  also  made  food,  and  he  brought  it 
to  his  father,  and  said  to  his  father.  Arise,  my  father, 
and  eat  of  thy  son's  venison,  that  thy  soul  may  bless 
me.  And  Izhak  his  father  said  to  him,  Who  art 
thou?  And  he  said,  I  am  thy  son,  thy  firstborn, 
Esau.  And  Izhak  was  wonderstruck  with  exceeding  great 
wonder,  and  said,  Who  was  he  who  prepared  venison, 
and  brought  it  to  me,  and  I  have  eaten  of  all  before 
thou  earnest,  and  I  have  blessed  him  ?  and  blessed 
shall  he  be.  When  Esau  heard  the  words  of  his  father, 
he  cried  a  cry,  great  and  bitter  exceedingly.  And 
he  said  to  his  father,  Bless  me,  also,  me,  father  !  And 
he  said,  Thy  brother  came  with  subtilty,  and  hath 
received  thy  blessing.  And  he  said.  Rightly  is  his  name 
called  Jakob,  he  hath  dealt  subtilly  with  me  these  two 
times ;  my  birthright  he  took,  and,  behold,  now  he  hath 
received  my  blessing.  And  he  said.  Hast  thou  not 
left  me  a  blessing?  And  Izhak  answered,  and  said 
to  Esau,  Behold,  I  have  set  him  a  chief  over  thee, 
and  all  his  brethren  I  have  given  to  him  for  servants, 
and  with  corn  and  wine  have  I  sustained  him  :  and 
for  thee  now  what  can  I  do,  my  son  ?  And  Esau 
said  to  his  father,  Hast  thou  but  one  blessing,  father  ? 
Bless  me,  me  also,  my  father.  And  Esau  lifted  up  his 
voice  and  wept.  And  Izhak  his  father  answered  and 
said  to  him.  Behold,  thy  habitation  shall  be  of  the  best 
of  the  earth,  and  of  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above. 


XXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  95 

And  by  thy  sword  shalt  thou  live,  and  thy  brother  obey ; 
and  it  will  be  that  when  his  sons  shall  have  trans¬ 
gressed  the  words  of  the  law,  thou  wilt  cast  his  yoke 
from  off  thy  neck.  And  Esau  kept  enmity  towards 
Jakob  for  the  blessing  wherewith  his  father  had  blessed 
him.  And  Esau  said  in  his  heart,  The  days  of  mourn¬ 
ing  for  father  draw  near,  and  I  will  kill  Jakob  my 
brother.  And  the  words  of  Esau  her  eldest  son  were 
shown  to  Eevekah,  and  she  sent  and  called  Jakob  her 
younger  son,  and  said  to  him,  Behold,  Esau  thy 
brother  plotteth  against  thee  to  kill  thee.  And  now, 
my  son,  receive  from  me,  and  arise  and  go  to  Laban  my 
brother  at  Haran,  and  dwell  with  him  a  few  days,  until 
thy  brother’s  wrath  turn  away,  until  the  anger  of  thy 
brother  turn  from  thee,  and  what  thou  hast  done  to 
him  be  forgotten ;  and  I  will  send  and  bring  thee 
thence.  Why  should  I  be  bereaved  of  both  of  you  in 
one  day  ?  And  Eevekah  said  to  Izhak,  I  am  grieved  in 
my  life  at  the  sight  of  the  daughters  of  Hittah.  If 
Jakob  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Hittah,  like 
these  of  the  daughters  of  the  land,  what  to  me  is  life? 

XXVIII.  And  Izhak  called  Jakob  and  blessed  him. 
And  he  commanded  him,  and  said  to  him,  Thou  shalt 
not  take  a  wife  from  the  daughters  of  Kenaan ;  arise, 
go  to  Padan  Aram  to  the  house  of  Bethuel  the  father 
of  thy  mother,  and  take  to  thee  from  thence  a  wife  of 
the  daughters  of  Laban,  the  brother  of  thy  mother. 
And  the  All-sufficient  God  bless  thee,  and  make  thee 
to  increase  and  multiply,  and  become  an  assemblage  of 
tribes ;  and  give  the  blessing  of  Abraham  to  thee  and 
thy  sons  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  inherit  the  land 
of  thy  habitation  which  the  Lord  gave  to  Abraham. 
And  Izhak  sent  Jakob  away,  and  he  went  to  Padan 
Aram  to  Laban  bar  Bethuel,  the  Aramite,  the  brother 
of  Eevekah,  the  mother  of  Jakob  and  Esau.  And 


96  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Esau,  when  he  saw  that  Izhak  had  blessed  Jakob, 
and  sent  him  to  Padan  Aram  to  take  from  thence  a 
wife,  and,  as  he  blessed  him,  commanded  him,  saying, 
Thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  from  the  daughters  of 
Kenaan,  and  that  Jakob  had  obeyed  his  father  and  his 
mother,  and  had  gone  to  Padan  Aram,  Esau,  consider¬ 
ing  that  the  daughters  of  Kenaan  were  evil  in  the  eyes 
of  Izhak  his  father,  went  to  Ishmael,  and  took  Maha- 
lath,  daughter  of  Ishmael  bar  Abraham,  the  sister  of 
Nebaioth,  over  his  wives,  unto  him  to  wife. 


SECTION  VII. 

VAYETSE  YAAKOV. 

And  Jakob  went  forth  from  Beersheva,  and  went  to 
Haran ;  and  he  arrived  at  a  place,  and  lodged  there, 
because  the  sun  had  gone.  And  he  took  of  the  stones 
of  the  place,  and  set  his  pillow,  and  lay  down  in  that 
place.  And  he  dreamed :  and,  behold,  a  ladder  was 
planted  in  the  earth,  and  the  head  of  it  reached  unto 
the  height  of  heaven ;  and,  behold,  the  angels  of  the 
Lord  ascended  and  descended  upon  it;  and,  behold, 
the  Glory  of  the  Lord  stood  above  it,  and  He 
said,  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and 
the  God  of  Izhak.  The  land  where  thou  sleepest, 
unto  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  unto  thy  sons.  And 
thy  sons  shall  be  many  as  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
and  shall  prevail  to  the  west  and  to  the  east,  and 
to  the  north  and  to  the  south ;  and  through  thee  shall 
all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed,  and  through 
thy  sons.  And,  behold,  My  Word  shall  be  for  thy  help, 


XXIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  97 

and  I  will  keep  thee  in  every  place  whither  thou  goest, 
and  I  will  bring  thee  again  to  this  land ;  for  I  will  not 
leave  thee  until  I  have  done  what  I  say  to  thee.  And 
Jakob  awoke  from  his  sleep,  and  said,  Yerily  the  Glory 
of  the  Lord  dwelleth  in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not. 
And  he  feared  and  said,  How  awful  is  this  place !  This 
place  is  not  common  (ground),  but  a  place  where  there 
is  pleasantness  before  the  Lord ;  and  this  is  nigh  the 
gate  of  heaven.  And  Jakob  rose  up  early  in  the  morn¬ 
ing,  and  took  the  stone  which  he  had  set  for  his  pillow, 
and  set  it  up,  a  pillar,  and  poured  oil  upon  the  top  of 
it.  And  he  called  the  name  of  that  place  The  House 
of  God  (Beth-el).  But  Luz  was  the  name  of  the  city 
at  the  first.  And  Jakob  vowed  a  vow,  saying,  If  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  will  be  my  help,  and  will  keep  me  in 
that  way  in  which  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat, 
and  raiment  to  wear,  and  bring  me  again  in  peace  to 
my  father's  house,  the  Word  of  the  Lord  shall  be  my 
God.  And  at  this  stone  which  I  have  set  up  (as)  a 
pillar,  will  I  worship  before  the  Lord ;  and  of  all  that 
Thou  shalt  give  me,  the  tenth  will  I  separate  before 
Thee. 

XXIX.  And  Jakob  lifted  up  his  feet,  and  came  to 
the  land  of  the  children  of  the  East.  And  he  looked, 
and  saw  a  well  in  a  field ;  and,  behold,  three  flocks  of 
sheep  lying  near  it,  because  from  that  well  they  watered 
the  flocks ;  and  a  great  stone  was  upon  the  mouth  of 
the  well.  And  thither  all  the  flocks  were  gathered 
together ;  and  they  withdrew  the  stone  from  the  mouth 
of  the  well,  and  watered  the  flock,  and  returned  the 
stone  upon  the  mouth  of  the  well  unto  its  place.  And 
Jakob  said  to  them,  My  brethren,  whence  are  you? 
And  they  said,  We  are  from  Haran.  And  Jakob  said 
to  them,  Know  you  Laban  bar  Nachor  ?  And  they 
said,  We  know.  And  he  said.  Hath  he  peace?  And 

F 


98  TARGTTM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

they  said.  Peace;  and,  behold,  Kahel  his  daughter 
cometh  with  the  flock.  And  he  said.  Behold,  the  day  is 
yet  great,  it  is  not  time  to  gather  the  cattle ;  water  the 
sheep,  and  go  to  the  pasture.  And  they  said,  We  cannot 
till  all  the  flocks  are  gathered,  and  we  remove  the  stone 
from  the  mouth  of  the  well,  and  water  the  flock. 
While  he  spake  with  them,  Rahel  came,  with  the  flock 
of  her  father ;  for  she  was  a  shepherdess.  And  it  was, 
when  Jakob  saw  Rahel  the  daughter  of  Laban,  the 
brother  of  his  mother,  and  the  flock  of  Laban  the  bro¬ 
ther  of  his  mother,  that  Jakob  went  near,  and  withdrew 
the  stone  from  the  well's  mouth,  and  watered  the  flock 
of  Laban,  his  mother's  brother.  And  Jakob  kissed 
Rahel,  and  lifted  up  his  voice  and  wept.  And  Jakob 
showed  Rahel  that  he  was  the  son  of  her  father's  sister, 
and  that  he  was  the  son  of  Revekah.  And  she  ran  and 
showed  to  her  father.  And  it  was  when  Laban  heard 
the  hearing  of  Jakob  the  son  of  his  sister,  that  he  ran 
to  meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and  kissed  him,  and 
brought  him  into  his  house ;  and  he  narrated  to  Laban 
all  these  words.  And  Laban  said  to  him,  Thou  art, 
however,  my  near  (kinsman),  and  thou  art  my  flesh. 
And  he  abode  with  him  a  month  of  days.  And  Laban 
said  to  Jakob,  Because  thou  art  my  brother,  shalt  thou 
serve  me  for  nothing?  Tell  me,  what  shall  be  thy 
wages  ?  And  Laban  had  two  daughters,  the  name  of 
the  elder  Leah,  and  the  name  of  the  younger  Rahel. 
And  the  eyes  of  Leah  were  beautiful ; 8  but  Rahel  was 
admirable  in  form,  and  beautiful  in  aspect.  And  Jakob 
loved  Rahel,  and  he  said,  I  will  serve  thee  seven  years 
for  Rahel  thy  younger  daughter.  And  Laban  said,  It 
is  better  that  I  give  her  to  thee  than  give  her  to  another 
man ;  reside  with  me.  And  Jakob  served  for  Rahel 
seven  years  ;  and  they  were  in  his  eyes  as  a  few  days, 

8  Comp.  Song  i.  15. 


XXIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  99 

inasmuch  as  he  loved  her.  And  Jakob  said  to  Laban, 
Give  me  my  wife ;  for  the  days  of  my  service  are  fulfilled, 
and  I  will  go  to  her.  And  Laban  assembled  all  the 
men  of  the  place,  and  made  a  feast.  And  it  was  in  the 
evening,  that  he  took  Leah  his  daughter,  and  intro¬ 
duced  her  to  him,  and  he  entered  to  her.  And  Laban 
gave  her  Zilpha  his  handmaid  unto  Leah  his  daughter, 
to  attend  on  her.  And  it  was  in  the  morning,  and, 
behold,  she  was  Leah !  And  he  said  to  Laban,  What 
is  this  that  thou  hast  done  to  me  ?  Was  it  not  for 
Eahel  that  I  served  thee  ?  and  why  hast  thou  been  false 
with  me  ?  And  Laban  said,  It  is  not  so  done  in  our 
place,  to  give  the  younger  before  the  elder.  Fulfil  this 
week,  and  I  will  give  thee  also  that,  for  the  service  that 
thou  shalt  serve  with  me  yet  seven  other  years.  And 
Jakob  did  so,  and  fulfilled  the  week  of  this ;  and  he  gave 
him  Eahel  his  daughter  to  be  his  wife.  And  Laban 
gave  to  Eahel  his  daughter  Bilhah  her  handmaid  to  wait 
upon  her.  And  he  went  in  also  to  Eahel,  and  he  loved 
Eahel  more  than  Leah.  And  he  served  yet  with  him 
seven  other  years.  And  the  Lord  saw  that  Leah  was 
hated,  and  He  gave  her  to  conceive,  but  Eahel  was  bar¬ 
ren.  And  Leah  conceived  and  bare  a  son,  and  she 
called  his  name  Eeuben  ;9  for  she  said,  Because  my  afflic¬ 
tion  was  manifest  before  the  Lord ;  for  now  will  my 
husband  love  me.  And  she  conceived  again  and  bare  a 
son,  and  she  said,  Because  it  was  heard  before  the  Lord 
that  I  had  hatred,  and  He  gave  me  this  also ;  and  she 
called  his  name  Shemeon.1  And  she  conceived  again 
and  bare  a  son :  and  she  said,  This  time  will  my  hus¬ 
band  adhere  to  me ;  for  I  have  born  him  three  sons  : 
therefore  she  called  his  name  Levi.2  And  she  con¬ 
ceived  again  and  bare  a  son ;  and  she  said,  This  time 
will  I  give  praise  before  the  Lord :  therefore  she  called 

*  “Manifestation.”  1  “Hearing.”  *  “Union.” 

F  2 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


100 


[chap. 


his  name  Jehudah.*  And  she  ceased  (stood)  from 
bearing. 

XXX.  And  Rahel  saw  that  she  did  not  bear  unto 
Jakob ;  and  Rahel  envied  her  sister,  and  she  said  to 
Jakob,  Give  me  children;  and  if  not,  I  die.  And  the 
anger  of  Jakob  was  incensed  against  Rahel,  and  he  said. 
Why  ask  of  me  ?  Is  it  not  before  the  Lord  that  thou 
shouldest  ask,  who  hath  denied  thee  the  generation  of 
the  womb  ?  And  she  said,  Behold  my  handmaid  Bil- 
hah,  go  in  unto  her,  and  she  shall  bear,  and  I  also  shall 
nourish  (children),  and  be  builded  up  from  her.  And 
she  gave  him  Bilhah  her  handmaid  to  wife ;  and  Jakob 
went  in  unto  her,  and  Bilhah  conceived,  and  bare  to 
Jakob  a  son.  And  Rahel  said.  The  Lord  hath  judged 
me,  and  hath  also  received  my  prayer,  and  given  me  a 
son :  therefore  she  called  his  name  Dan.4  And  Bilhah 
the  handmaid  of  Rahel  conceived  again,  and  bare  a 
second  son  to  Jakob.  And  Rahel  said.  The  Lord  hath 
received  my  request :  when  I  entreated  in  my  prayer,  I 
desired  that  I  might  have  offspring  as  my  sister,  and 
also  it  is  given  me.  And  she  called  his  name  Naphtali.® 
And  Leah  saw  that  she  had  ceased  from  bearing,  and 
she  took  Zilpha  her  handmaid,  and  gave  her  to  Jakob 
to  wife.  And  Zilpha  the  handmaid  of  Leah  bare  a  son 
to  Jakob,  and  Leah  said,  There  cometh  prosperity;  and 
she  called  his  name  Gad.6  And  Zilpha  the  handmaid 
of  Leah  bare  a  second  son  to  Jakob ;  and  Leah  said, 
Praise  shall  be  mine ;  now  will  women  praise  me ;  and 
she  called  his  name  Asher.7  And  Reuben  went  in  the 
days  of  wheat  harvest,  and  found  mandrakes8  in  the 

3  “Praise.”  4  “Judgment.”  *  “  Wrestled  for.” 

6  “  Fortune,  prosperity.”  In  Chaldee,  “  a  fortunate  star.” 

7  "  Happiness.” 

8  Yavruchin.  Hebrew,  dudaim.  Septuagint,  /u7?Xa  pavhpayopQv, 
“  apples  of  mandrakes  ”  (“  atropa  mandragora ,”  Linnaeus).  The  Samari¬ 
tan  expression  is  as  the  Hebrew,  and  fhe  Peschito  as  the  Targum. 


ON  GENESIS. 


101 


XXX.] 


field,  and  he  brought  them  to  Leah  his  mother.  And 
Eahel  said  to  Leah,  Give  me  now  of  thy  son's  man¬ 
drakes.  And  she  said  to  her,  Is  it  a  little  that  thou 
hast  taken  my  husband,  and  thou  wilt  take  also  my 
son's  mandrakes  ?  And  Eahel  said,  Therefore  shall  he 
lie  with  thee  at  night  for  thy  son's  mandrakes.  And 
Jakob  came  in  from  the  field  at  evening,  and  Leah  went 
out  to  anticipate  him,  and  said,  With  me  thou  wilt  go 
in,  because  with  hire  have  I  hired  thee,  with  the  man¬ 
drakes  of  my  son;  and  he  lay  with  her  that  night. 
And  the  Lord  received  the  prayer  of  Leah,  and  she 
conceived,  and  bare  to  Jakob  a  fifth  son.  And  Leah 
said,  The  Lord  hath  given  me  my  reward,  because  I 
gave  my  handmaid  to  my  husband.  And  she  called 
his  name  Issakar.9  And  Leah  conceived  again,  and 
bare  a  sixth  son  to  Jakob.  And  Leah  said,  The  Lord 
hath  given  me  a  good  portion.1  This  time  will  the 
habitation  of  my  husband  be  with  me,  because  I  have 
born  him  six  sons :  therefore  she  called  his  name  Zebu- 
Ion.3  And  afterward  she  bare  a  daughter,  and  called, 
her  name  Dinah.3  And  the  remembrance  of  Eahel 
came  before  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  received  her 

prayer,  and  gave  her  to  conceive.  And  she  conceived 

and  bare  a  son,  and  she  said,  The  Lord  hath  taken  up 4 
my  reproach.  And  she  called  his  name  Joseph,5  saying, 
The  Lord  shall  add  to  me  another  son. 

And  it  was  when  Eahel  had  born  Joseph,  that 

Jakob  said  to  Laban,  Send  me  away,  that  I  may 

go  to  my  place,  and  to  my  land.  Give  me  my 
wives  and  my  children,  for  whom  I  have  served  thee, 
that  I  may  go  :  for  thou  knowest  the  service  with 
which  I  have  served  thee.  And  Laban  said  to  him.  If 

9  “Wages.”  1  Sam.  Vers.,  “ God  hath  helped  me  with  good  help.” 

2  “Habitation.”  •  “Judgment.” 

4  Or,  “  cleansed  away.”  See  Castel,  voce  Kenash. 


5  u  Addition.” 


102  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

now  I  have  found  grace  in  thine  eyes,  I  have  proved 
that  the  Lord  hath  blessed  me  for  thy  sake.  And  he 
said,  Certify 6  thy  wages  with  me,  and  I  will  give.  And 
he  said  to  him,  Thou  k  no  west  how  I  have  served  thee, 
and  what  thy  flocks  have  been  with  me ;  for  thou  hadst 
few  before  me,  and  they  have  increased  into  a  multi¬ 
tude  :  and  the  Lord  hath  blessed  thee  for  my  sake.7 
But  now,  what  shall  I  do  also  for  my  (own)  house  ?  And 
he  said,  What  shall  I  give  thee?  And  Jacob  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  give  me  anything;  but  if  thou  wilt  do 
with  me  this  matter,  I  will  return,  and,  pasturing  thy 
flocks,  will  keep  (them).  I  will  pass  through  all  thy 
flocks  to-day,  and  set  apart  from  them  every  lamb  streaked 
and  speckled,  and  every  black  lamb  among  the  lambs, 
and  the  streaked  and  speckled  among  the  goats,  and 
they  shall  be  my  wages.  And  my  righteousness  shall 
be  testified  in  the  day  following,  when  thou  wilt  come 
upon  my  reward  that  shall  be  before  thee  :  every  one 
which  is  not  streaked  or  speckled  among  the  goats,  and 
black  among  the  lambs,  that  shall  be  (as  if)  stolen  by 
me.  And  Laban  said,  Let  it  be  according  to  thy  word. 
And  he  set  apart  that  day  the  he-goats  of  various  colour, 
and  all  the  goats  which  were  speckled  or  spotted,  every 
one  which  had  (some)  white  in  him,  and  all  that  were 
black  among  the  lambs :  and  he  gave  them  into  the 
hand  of  his  sons.  And  he  set  a  walk  of  three  days 
between  them  and  Jakob;  and  Jakob  pastured  the  flock 
of  Laban  which  remained.  And  Jakob  took  to  him 
rods  of  white  poplars,  and  of  almond,  (or  hazel,)  and  of 
plane  tree,  and  peeled  in  them  white  peelings,  (so  that, 
where)  peeled,  the  white  which  was  in  the  rods 
appeared.  And  he  fixed  the  rods  that  he  had  peeled  in 
the  canals,  in  the  place  of  the  watering  of  waters,  the 
place  to  which  they  brought  the  flocks  to  drink,  to  be 
6  Or,  “distinguish.”  7  Sara.  Vers.,  “through  my  help.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


103 


XXXE.] 


over  against  the  flocks,  that  they  might  be  incited  when 
they  came  to  drink.  And  the  sheep  were  incited  before 
the  rods,  and  the  sheep  brought  forth  with  chequered 
feet  and  streaked.  And  J akob  separated  the  lambs,  and 
set  before  the  sheep  all  which  were  various-coloured  and 
all  that  were  black  among  the  sheep  of  Laban;  and 
placed  them  for  himself  a  flock  apart,  not  mixing  them 
with  the  sheep  of  Laban.  And  it  was  that  whenever 
the  early  (prime)  sheep  conceived,  Jakob  placed  the 
rods  before  the  eyes  of  the  sheep  in  the  canals,  that  they 
might  conceive  before  the  rods  :  but  before  the  late 
sheep  he  did  not  place  them.  And  (so)  the  late  ones 
were  Laban's,  and  the  prime  ones  Jacob's.  And  the 
man  increased  very  greatly,  and  had  a  multitude  of 
flocks,  and  handmaids,  and  servants,  and  camels,  and 
asses. 

XXXI.  And  he  heard  the  words  of  Laban's  sons, 
saying,  Jacob  hath  taken  all  that  was  our  father's ; 
and  of  that  which  was  our  father's  he  hath  gotten  all 
these  possessions.  And  Jakob  saw  the  looks  of  Laban,8 
and,  behold,  they  were  not  with  him  as  yesterday,  and 
the  time  before.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Jacob,  Return 
to  thy  country  and  to  thy  native  (place)  :  and  My  Word 
shall  be  for  thy  help.  And  Jacob  sent  and  called 
Rahel  and  Leah  to  the  field  with  his  flocks  :  and  he 
said  to  them,  I  see  the  looks  of  your  father,  that  they 
are  not  with  me  as  yesterday  and  the  time  before ;  and 
the  God  of  my  father  hath  been  to  my  help.  And  you 
know  that  with  all  my  strength  I  have  served  your 
father ;  but  your  father  hath  lied  to  me,  and  hath  changed 
my  wages  ten  times ;  but  the  Lord  hath  not  permitted 
him  to  hurt  me.  If  now  he  said.  The  streaked  shall  be 
thy  wages ;  then  all  the  flock  bare  streaked :  and  if 
now  he  said,  The  chequered  shall  be  thy  wages ;  all  the 
9  Or,  “  the  aspect  of  the  looks  of  Laban.” 


104  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

flock  bare  chequered.  And  the  Lord  hath  separated 
them  from  the  cattle  of  your  father,  and  hath  given 
(them)  to  me.  And  it  was  at  the  time  when  the 
flocks  conceived,  I  lifted  up  my  eyes,  and  saw  in  a 
dream,  and,  behold,  the  rams  which  leaped  upon  the 
flock  were  chequered,  streaked,  and  speckled.  And 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  me  in  a  dream,  Jacob. 
And  I  said,  Behold,  I  am.  And  he  said,  Lift  up  now 
thine  eyes,  and  see,  all  the  rams  which  leap  upon  the 
flock  are  chequered,  streaked,  and  speckled:  because 
all  that  Laban  hath  done  to  thee  is  manifest  before  Me. 
I  am  Eloha,9  who  appeared  to  thee  at  Bethel,  where 
thou  didst  anoint  the  pillar,  and  where  before  Me  thou 
didst  swear  the  oath  :  arise  now,  go  from  this  land,  and 
return  to  the  land  of  thy  birth.  And  Bah  el  and  Leah 
answered  and  said  to  him,  Have  we  yet  a  portion  or 
inheritance  in  our  father’s  house  ?  Are  we  not 
accounted  as  strangers  by  him  ?  for  he  hath  sold  us, 
and  hath  devoured  our  money  also.  Therefore,  all  the 
wealth  that  the  Lord  hath  separated  from  our  father  is 
ours  and  our  children’s  :  and  now  all  that  the  Lord  hath 
said  to  thee,  do.  And  Jakob  arose,  and  lifted  up  his 
sons  and  his  wives  upon  camels ;  and  led  all  his  herds 
and  all  his  substance  which  he  had  obtained,  his  herds 
and  his  substance  which  he  had  obtained  in  Padan- 
Aram,  to  go  unto  Izhak  his  father  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan.  And  Laban  had  gone  to  shear  his  flock  :  and 
Bahel  took  the  images 1  that  were  her  father’s.  And 
Jakob  concealed  from  Laban  the  Aramite,  and  showed 
him  not  that  he  went.  And  he  went,  he  and  all  that 
were  his ;  and  he  arose  and  passed  the  Phrat,  and  set 
his  face  toward  the  mountain  of  Gilead.  And  it  was 

9  Sam.  Vers,,  “  I  am  the  Most  Mighty.” 

1  Tsilmanaia.  The  word  in  the  Hebrew  text  ( teraphim )  is  probably 
from  the  Aramaic  teraph,  “  to  inquire.’1 


ON  GENESIS. 


105 


xxxr.] 


shown  to  Laban  on  the  third  day  that  Jakob  had  gone. 
And  he  took  his  brethren  with  him,  and  pursued  after 
him,  going  seven  days ;  and  he  overtook  him  in  the 
mountain  of  Gilead.  And  a  word  came  from  before  the 
Lord  to  Laban  the  Aramite  in  a  dream  of  the  night,  and 
He  said  to  him,  Beware,  lest  thou  speak  with  Jakob 
from  good  to  evil.  And  Laban  overtook  Jakob ;  and 
Jakob  had  spread  his  tent  in  the  mountain ;  and  Laban 
made  his  brethren  abide  in  the  mountain  of  Gilead. 
And  Laban  said  to  Jacob,  What  hast  thou  done,  that 
thou  hast  hidden  from  me,  and  taken  away  my 
daughters,  as  captives  of  the  sword  ?  Why  didst  thou 
conceal  thy  going,  (or  conceal  thyself  to  go,)  and  didst 
hide  it  from  me,  and  not  show  me,  that  I  might  then 
have  sent  thee  away  with  mirth,  and  with  hymns,3  and 
with  tambourines,  and  with  harps  ?  Nor  didst  thou 
suffer  me3  to  kiss  my  sons  and  my  daughters.  Now  hast 
thou  done  foolishly.  It  is  in  the  power  of  my  hands  to 
do  evil  with  thee  :  but  the  God  of  thy  father  spake  to 
me  in  the  evening,  saying,  Beware  lest  thou  speak  to 
Jakob  from  good  to  evil.  And  now,  (though)  going 
thou  wouldest  go,  because  desiring  thou  hast  desired 
the  house  of  thy  father,  why  hast  thou  taken  my  reli¬ 
gion  ? 4  And  Jakob  answered  and  said  to  Laban,  Because 
I  feared ;  for  I  said,  Lest  thou  shouldst  take  away  thy 
daughters  from  me.  The  place  where  thou  shalt  find 
thy  religious  things  shall  not  abide :  before  our 
brethren  ascertain  thou  what  of  thine  is  with  me,  and 
take  to  thee.  But  Jakob  knew  not  that  Rahel  had 
carried  them  away.  And  Laban  entered  into  the  tent 
of  Leah,5  and  into  the  tent  of  the  two  concubines,  but 
found  not ;  and  he  went  forth  from  the  tent  of  Leah, 


3  Sam.  Ver3.,  “with  chief  or  great  things  ”  ( rabbonim ). 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “nor  didst  thou  expect  (or  wait)  that  I  might  kiss.” 

4  Dachalti.  5  Sam.  Vers.,  “and  diligently  searched,” 

F  5 


106  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

and  entered  the  tent  of  Rahel.  But  Rahel  had  taken 
the  images,  and  laid  them  in  the  panniers 6  of  the  camels, 
and  sat  upon  them.  And  Laban  searched  all  the  tent, 
but  found  not.  And  she  said  to  her  father,  Let  it  not 
be  displeasing  in  the  eyes  of  my  lord,  that  I  am  not  able 
to  rise  before  thee ;  for  the  way  of  women  is  upon  me. 
And  he  scrutinized,  but  found  not  the  images.  And 
Jakob  was  angry,  and  contended  with  Laban.  And 
Jakob  answered  and  said  to  Laban,  What  is  my  guilt, 
what  is  my  crime,  that  thou  hast  pursued  after  me  ? 
Now  that  thou  hast  searched  all  my  things/  what  hast 
thou  found,  of  all  the  things  of  thy  house  ?  Set  it  here 
before  my  brethren  and  thy  brethren,  and  they  shall 
decide  between  us  both.  These  twenty  years  have  I 
been  with  thee ;  thy  ewes  and  thy  goats  have  not  failed, 
and  the  rams  of  thy  flock  I  have  not  eaten.  The 
wounded  I  have  not  brought  to  thee;  what  was  defi¬ 
cient  iu  number,  from  my  hand  hast  thou  required  it. 
I  have  watched  by  day,  and  I  have  watched  by  night. 
(Thus)  have  I  been  ;  in  the  day  the  heat  devoured  me,  and 
the  frost  came  down  upon  me  at  night,  and  sleep  passed 
away  from  my  eyes.  These  twenty  years  have  I  served 
in  thy  house ;  fourteen  years  for  thy  two  daughters ;  and 
six  years  for  thy  sheep;  and  thou  hast  changed  my 
wages  ten  times.  Unless  the  God  of  my  fathers,  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  He  whom  Izhak  hath  feared,8  had 
been  my  helper,  even  now  thou  hadst  sent  me  away 
empty  :  but  my  labour,  and  the  travail  of  my  hands, 
have  been  manifest  before  the  Lord,  and  He  rebuked 
thee  in  the  evening.  And  Laban  answered  and  said  to 
Jakob,  The  daughters  are  my  daughters,  and  the  sons 
my  sons,  and  the  sheep  are  my  sheep,  and  all  whatso- 

6  The  Hebrew  Tear  answers  to  the  Arabic  kuron,  “  a  pannier,  cradle, 
or  chair,  placed  on  each  side  the  camel.” 

7  Or,  “  vessels.”  8  Sam.  Vers.,  "  the  Redeemer  of  Izhak.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


107 


XXXI.] 

ever  thou  seest  is  mine ;  and  to  these,  my  daughters, 
what  can  I  do  this  day,  or  unto  their  children  which 
they  have  born  ?  And  now  come,  let  us  enter  into  a 
covenant,  I  and  thou,  and  it  shall  be  for  a  witness 
between  me  and  thee.  And  Jakob  took  a  stone,  and 
set  it  up  as  a  pillar.  And  Jakob  said  to  his  brethren, 
Collect  stones ;  and  they  took  stones,  and  made  a 
mound,9  and  ate  there  upon  the  mound.  And  Laban 
called  it  Yegar  Sahadutha,1  but  Jakob  called  it  Gal- 
Ed.2  And  Laban  said.  This  mound  testifieth  between 
me  and  thee  to-day.  Therefore  he  called  the  name  of  it 
The  Heap  of  Witness,  and  The  Observatory ; 3  for  he 
said,  The  Word  of  the  Lord  will  observe  between  me 
and  thee,  when  we  are  hidden  (each)  man  from  his 
neighbour.  If  thou  shalt  afflict  my  daughters,  or  if 
thou  shalt  take  wives  over  my  daughters,  no  man  is 
with  us;  see,  the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  witness  between 
me  and  thee.  And  Laban  said  to  Jakob,  Behold  this 
mound  and  this  pillar,  which  thou  hast  erected  between 
me  and  thee.  This  mound  and  pillar  are  a  witness,  that  I 
will  not  pass  over  this  mound  to  thee ;  and  that  thou  shalt 
not  pass  over  this  mound  and  this  pillar,  to  do  me  evil. 
The  God  of  Abraham  and  the  God  of  Nachor  shall 
judge  between  us,  the  God  of  their  fathers.4  And 
Jakob  sware  by  Him  whom  Izhak  his  father  feared.5 
And  Jakob  sacrificed  victims  in  the  mountain,  and 
called  his  brethren  to  eat  bread ;  and  they  ate  bread, 
and  tabernacled  in  the  mountain.  And  Laban  arose 

•  Degura,  "  a  cumulus  or  mound ;  ”  from  deger,  Heb.,  dagar ,  “  to 
collect,  pile  up.” 

1  “  The  Heap  of  Witness.”  The  oldest  specimen  of  Aramaic  extant. 

3  Hebrew,  “  The  Heap  of  Witness.” 

3  Sakutha.  Chald.,  from  Seka,  aspexit,  contemplatus  est.  The 
Hebrew  Mizpeh. 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “the  God  of  Abraham.” 

5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  by  the  Redeemer  of  his  father  Izhak.” 


3  08 


TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 


in  the  morning,  and  kissed  his  sons  and  his  daughters, 
and  blessed  them,  and  went ;  and  Laban  returned  to  his 
place.  And  Jakob  went  on  his  way,  and  the  angels  of 
the  Lord  met  him.  And  when  Jakob  saw  them,  he 
said.  This  is  a  host 8  from  before  the  Lord ;  and  he 
called  the  name  of  the  place  Mahanaim. 


SECTION  VIII. 

YAYISHLACH. 

And  Jakob  sent  messengers  before  him  to  Esau  his 
brother  to  the  land  of  Seir,7  in  the  region  of  Edom ; 
and  he  instructed  them,  saying,  So  shall  you  tell  to  my 
lord,  to  Esau  :  Thus  saith  thy  servant  Jakob,  With 
Laban  I  have  dwelt,  and  have  tarried,  until  now.  And 
I  have  oxen,  and  asses,  sheep,  and  servants,  and  hand¬ 
maids,  and  have  sent  to  show  my  lord,  to  find  grace  in 
thine  eyes.  And  the  messengers  returned  to  Jakob, 
saying,  We  came  to  thy  brother,  to  Esau ;  and  he 
cometh  also  to  meet  thee,  and  four  hundred  men  with 
him.  And  Jakob  feared  greatly,  and  it  distressed  him. 
And  he  divided  the  people  that  were  with  him,  and  the 
sheep,  and  oxen,  and  camels,  into  two  hosts,  and  said. 
If  Esau  come  to  the  one  host  and  smite  it,  the  host 
that  is  left  may  escape.  And  Jakob  said,  God  of  my 
father  Abraham,  and  God  of  my  father  Izhak,  the  Lord, 
who  didst  say  to  me,  Return  to  thy  country  and  to  thy 
native  place,  and  I  will  do  thee  good  ;  less  are  my  right¬ 
eousnesses  than  all  the  mercies  and  all  the  benefits 
which  Thou  hast  performed  unto  Thy  servant :  for 
alone  I  passed  this  Yardena,  and  now  I  have  become 
two  bands.  Deliver  me  now  from  the  hand  of  my 
brother,  from  the  hand  of  Esau  ;  for  I  am  afraid  of  him, 
6  Or,  “camp.”  7  Sam.  Vers gabla,  {gebel,)  “the  mountain.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


109 


XXXII.] 

lest  he  come  and  smite  me,  and  the  mother  with  the 
children.  And  Thou  hast  said,  In  doing  good  I  will  do 
good  with  thee,  and  will  make  thy  sons  many  as  the 
sand  of  the  sea  which  cannot  be  numbered  for  number. 
And  he  housed  there  that  night,  and  took  of  that  which 
came  to  his  hand,  an  offering  for  Esau  his  brother ; 
goats  two  hundred,  rams  twenty,  ewes  two  hundred,  and 
rams  twenty,  camels  giving  milk  and  their  young  ones 
thirty,  cows  forty,  and  bulls  ten,  she-asses  twenty,  and 
colts  ten.  And  he  gave  them  into  the  hand  of  his 
servants,  herd  by  herd  separately,  and  said  to  his  ser¬ 
vants,  Pass  over  before  me^  and  put  a  space  between 
herd  and  herd.  And  he  commanded  the  foremost,  say¬ 
ing,  If  Esau  my  brother  meet  thee,  and  ask  thee,  say¬ 
ing,  Whose  art  thou  ?  and,  Whither  goest  thou  ?  and. 
Whose  are  these  that  are  before  thee  ?  thou  shalt  say. 
They  are  an  offering  of  thy  servant  Jakob,  which  he 
hath  sent  to  my  lord,  to  Esau ;  and,  behold,  he  also 
cometh  after  us.  And  he  instructed  also  the  second 
and  the  third,  and  all  of  them  who  followed  the  herds, 
saying,  According  to  this  word  you  shall  speak  with 
Esau,  when  you  find  him  ;  and  say  also.  Behold,  thy 
servant  Jakob  cometh  after.  Eor  he  said,  I  will  quiet 
his  anger  by  the  offering  that  goeth  before  me,  and 
afterward  I  will  see  his  face  ;  perhaps  he  will  accept  me. 
And  the  offering  went  over  before  his  face,  and  he 
himself  lodged  that  night  in  the  camp.  And  he  arose 
in  the  night,  and  took  his  two  wives,  and  his  two  con¬ 
cubines,  and  his  eleven  sons,  and  passed  over  the  ford 
J ubeka ;  and  he  took  them  and  made  them  pass  over 
the  torrent,  and  made  what  was  his  to  pass  over. 

And  Jakob  remained  alone;  and  a  Man  wrestled  with 
him  till  the  morning  ascended.  And  he  saw  that  he  pre¬ 
vailed  not  with  him,  and  he  touched  the  hollow  8  of  his 


8  Or,  “  the  palm.” 


110  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

thigh,  and  the  hollow  of  Jacob's  thigh  was  dislocated  9 
in  wrestling  with  him.  And  he  said,  Let  me  go ; 1  for 
the  morning  ascendeth.  And  he  said,  I  will  not  let 
Thee  go,  unless  Thou  bless  me.  And  He  said  to  him, 
What  is  thy  name  ?  And  he  said,  Jakob.  And  He 
said,  Thy  name  shall  be  no  longer  Jakob,  but  Israel; 
for  a  prince  art  thou  before  the  Lord,  and  with  men, 
and  thou  hast  prevailed.  And  Jakob  asked  Him,  and 
said,  Show  me  now  Thy  Name  !  And  He  said.  Why  dost 
thou  ask  My  Name  ?  And  He  blessed  him  there.  And 
Jakob  called  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel :  because  I 
have  seen  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  face  to  face,  and  my 
soul  hath  been  saved  !  And  the  sun  arose  upon  him  as 
he  passed  over  Penuel,  and  he  went  lame  upon  his 
thigh.  Therefore  the  sons  of  Israel  do  not  eat  the 
sinew  which  shrank,  which  is  upon  the  hollow  of  the 
thigh,  unto  this  day,  because  He  touched  the  hollow 
of  Jakob's  thigh  in  the  sinew  that  shrank. 

XXXIII.  And  Jakob  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw, 
and,  behold,  Esau  came,  and  with  him  four  hundred 
men ;  and  he  divided  the  children  with  Leah,  and  with 
Rahel,  and  with  the  two  concubines.  And  he  set  the 
concubines  and  their  children  first,  and  Leah  and  her 
children  after,  and  Rahel  and  Joseph  after  them.  And 
he  passed  over  before  them,  and  bowed  to  the  earth 
seven  times,  until  he  came  nigh  to  his  brother.  And  Esau 
ran  to  meet  him,2  and  embraced  him,  and  fell  upon  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him ;  and  they  wept.  And  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  and  saw  the  women  and  the  children,  and 
said,  What  are  these  to  thee  ?  And  he  said,  The 
children  whom  the  Lord  hath  given  to  thy  servant. 
And  the  concubines  approached,  they  and  their  children, 
and  bowed.  And  Leah  also  approached  and  her  children, 

*  Or,  “  moved.”  1  “  Send  me  away.” 

*  Or,  “  to  prevent  him.” 


XXXIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  I'll 

and  bowed ;  and  afterward  Joseph  and  Rahel  approached, 
and  bowed.  And  he  said.  What  to  thee  is  all  this 
troop  which  I  have  met  ?  And  he  said.  To  find  mercy 
in  the  eyes  of  my  lord.  And  Esau  said,  I  have  much, 
my  brother ;  let  what  is  thine  own  profit  thee.3  And 
Jakob  said,  I  pray  thee,  if  I  have  now  found  mercy  in 
thine  eyes,  that  thou  wouldst  accept  the  present  from 
my  hand,  because  I  have  now  seen  thy  face  as  the  vision 
of  the  face  of  the  Great,  and  thou  art  pleased  with  me. 
Receive,  I  pray,  my  offering  which  is  brought  to  thee, 
because  the  Lord  hath  been  merciful  to  me,  and  because 
I  have  all.  And  he  was  urgent  on  him,  and  he  took  it. 
And  he  said,  Let  us  journey  and  go,  and  I  will  go 
along  with  thee.  And  he  said.  My  lord  knoweth  that 
the  little  ones  are  tender,  and  the  sheep  and  kine  giving 
milk  are  with  me ;  and  if  they  overdrive  them  one  day, 
all  the  flock  may  die.  Let  my  lord  pass  on  before  his 
servant,  and  I  will  lead  on  quietly,  according  to  the  foot 
of  the  little  ones,  according  to  the  foot  of  the  work  that 
is  before  me,  and  according  to  the  foot  of  the  sucklings, 
until  I  come  to  my  lord  at  Seir.4  And  Esau  said,  Let  me 
leave  with  thee  of  the  people  who  are  with  me.  And  he 
said,  Why  should  this  be  ?  Let  me  find  grace  in  the  eyes 
of  my  lord.  And  Esau  returned  that  day  on  his  way  to 
Seir.4  And  Jakob  journeyed  to  Succoth,  and  builded  him 
an  house,  and  made  tabernacles  for  his  cattle ;  therefore 
he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Succoth.5 

And  Jakob  came  in  peace  to  the  city  of  Shekem, 
which  is  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  in  his  coming  from 
Padan  Aram,  and  he  abode  near  the  face  of  the  city. 
And  he  bought  the  possession  of  the  field  where  he  had 
spread  his  tent,  of  the  hand  of  the  sons  of  Hamor,  the 
father  of  Shekem,  for  a  hundred  lambs.  And  he  raised 

3  Or,  “  prosper  with  thine  own.”  4  Sam.  Vera.,  “  Gabla.” 

5  “Tabernacles.” 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


112 


[chap. 


there  an  altar,  and  offered  service  upon  it  before  God, 
the  God  of  Israel. 

XXXIV.  And  Dinah,  the  daughter  of  Leah,  whom 
she  bare  to  Jakob,  went  forth  to  see  the  daughters  of 
the  land.  And  Shekem  bar  Hamor  the  Hivite,  the 
prince  of  the  land,  saw  her,  and  took  her,  and  lay  with 
her,  and  humbled  her.  And  his  soul  took  pleasure  in 
Dinah  the  daughter  of  Jakob,  and  he  loved  the  damsel, 
and  spake  to  the  heart  of  the  damsel.  And  Shekem 
spake  to  Hamor  his  father,  saying,  Take  to  me  this 
damsel  for  a  wife.  And  Jakob  heard  that  he  had  pol¬ 
luted  Dinah  his  daughter.  And  his  sons  were  with  his 
flocks  in  the  field ;  and  Jakob  was  silent  until  they  were 
come.  And  Hamor  the  father  of  Shekem  came  forth  to 
Jakob  to  speak  with  him.  And  the  sons  of  Jakob  came 
up  from  the  field  when  they  heard.  And  the  men  were 
indignant  and  very  angry,  because  shame  had  been 
wrought  in  Israel  by  his  lying  with  the  daughter  of 
Jacob;  for  so  it  should  not  have  been  done.  And 
Hamor  spake  with  them,  saying,  The  soul  of  Shekem  my 
son  hath  pleasure  in  your  daughter ;  give  her  now  to 
him  to  wife.  And  marry  with  us,  and  take  our 
daughters  to  you ;  and  the  land  shall  be  before  you ; 
inhabit  and  do  business  in  it,  and  possess  it.  And 
Shekem  said  to  her  father  and  to  her  brethren.  Let  me 
find  favour  in  your  eyes,  and  what  you  shall  tell  me  I 
will  give.  Multiply  upon  me  dowry  and  present,  and  I 
will  give  as  you  may  tell  me ;  but  give  me  the  damsel  to 
wife.  And  the  sons  of  Jakob  answered  Shekem  and 
Hamor  his  father,  and  with  subtlety  they  spake,  because 
he  had  defiled  Dinah  their  sister.  And  they  said  to 
them,  We  cannot  do  this  thing,  to  give  our  sister  to  a 
man  uncircumcised ;  for  that  (would  be)  a  reproach  to 
us.  Nevertheless  in  this  we  will  agree  with  you,  if  you 
will  be  as  we  are,  by  circumcising  every  male  among 


XXXIV.]  ON  GENESIS.  ]13 

you,  and  we  will  give  our  daughters  to  you,  and  your 
daughters  will  we  take  to  us,  and  will  dwell  with  you 
and  be  one  people.  But  if  you  will  not  consent  to  us 
to  be  circumcised,  we  will  take  our  daughter  and  go. 
And  their  words  were  pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  Hamor, 
and  in  the  eyes  of  Shekem  the  son  of  Hamor.  And  the 
young  man  delayed  not  to  do  the  thing,  because  he 
delighted  in  the  daughter  of  Jakob,  and  he  was  more 
honourable  than  all  his  father's  house.  And  Hamor 
came,  and  Shekem  his  son,  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  and 
spake  to  the  men  of  the  city,  saying,  These  men  are 
friendly 6  with  us,  and  they  may  dwell  in  the  land,  and 
do  business  in  it,7  and  the  land,  behold,  it  is  wide  (on 
both)  hands  before  them ;  their  daughters  we  will  take 
to  us  for  wives,  and  our  daughters  we  will  give  to  them. 
Only  in  this  will  the  men  agree  with  us  to  dwell  with 
us,  to  be  one  people,  in  every  male  of  us  being  circum¬ 
cised,  as  they  are  circumcised.  Their  flocks,  and  their 
possessions,  and  all  their  cattle,  will  they  not  be  ours  ? 
Only  let  us  consent  to  them,  and  they  will  dwell  with 
us.  And  every  one  who  went  out  of  the  gate  of  his 
city  received  of  Hamor  and  of  Shekem  his  son,  and  they 
were  circumcised,  every  male,  every  one  who  went  out 
of  the  gate  of  his  city.  And  it  was  on  the  third  day, 
when  their  pains  were  strong  upon  them,8  that  the  two 
sons  of  Jakob,  Shemeon  and  Levi,  the  brothers  of 
Dinah,  took  each  man  his  sword,  and  came  upon  the 
city,  which  dwelt  in  security,  and  slew  every  male,  and 
Hamor  and  Shekem  his  son  they  killed  with  the  edge 
of  the  sword.  And  they  brought  Dinah  out  of  the 
house  of  Shekem,  and  went.  And  the  sons  of  Jakob 
came  up  to  the  spoil  of  the  slain,  and  sacked  the  town, 
because  they  had  defiled  their  sister.  Their  sheep,  and 

6  Shalemin.  7  Yabedun  ba  sechorta. 

•  Sam,  Vers.,  “  when  they  were  wounded,” 


114  TAB-GUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

their  oxen,  and  their  asses,  and  all  that  was  in  the  city 
and  the  field,  they  took.  And  all  their  substance,  and  all 
their  little  ones,  and  their  wives,  they  captured  and 
spoiled,  and  all  which  was  in  the  house.  And  Jakob 
said  to  Shemeon  and  Levi,  You  have  troubled  me,  in 
putting  strife  between  me  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land,  the  Kenaanites  and  the  Perrezites,  and  I  a  people 
(few)  for  number ;  and  they  will  gather  against  me, 
and  smite  me,  and  I  shall  perish,  I  and  the  men  of  my 
house.  And  they  said,  As  with  an  outcast  should  he 
deal  with  our  sister  ? 

XXXY.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Jakob,  Arise,  go  up 
to  Bethel,  and  dwell  there,  and  make  there  an  altar 
unto  Eloha,9  who  appeared  to  thee  when  in  thy  flight  from 
before  Esau  thy  brother.  And  Jakob  said  to  the  men 
of  his  house,  and  to  all  who  were  with  him,  Put  away 
the  gentile  idols  1  that  are  among  you,  and  purify ;  and 
change  your  raiment ;  and  we  will  arise  and  go  up  to 
Bethel,  and  I  will  make  there  an  altar  unto  Eloha,9  who 
heard  my  prayer  in  the  day  of  my  distress,  and  whose 
Word  was  my  helper  in  the  way  that  I  went.  And 
they  gave  Jakob  all  the  gentile  idols  that  were  in  their 
hands,  and  the  jewels  that  were  in  their  ears,  and  Jakob 
hid  them  under  the  terebinth  which  was  near  Shekem. 
And  they  journeyed ;  and  fear  from  before  the  Lord 
was  upon  the  peoples  in  the  cities  surrounding  them ; 
and  they  followed  not  after  the  sons  of  Jakob.  And 
Jakob  came  to  Luz,  which  is  in  the  land  of  Kenaan, 
which  is  Bethel,  he  and  all  the  people  who  were  with 
him.  And  he  builded  there  an  altar,  and  called  the 
place  El  Bethel,  because  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  had 
appeared  to  him  there  when  he  fled  from  before  his 
brother.  And  Deborah,  the  nurse  of  Bevekah,  died, 

9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  the  Most  Mighty  One.” 

1  “  The  idols  of  the  peoples.” 


XXXV.]  ON  GENESIS.  115 

and  was  buried  below  Bethel,  in  the  declivity  of  the 
vale;2  and  he  called  the  name  of  it,  The  vale  of 
weeping.8 

And  the  Lord  appeared  unto  Jakob  again  when  he 
had  come  from  Padan  Aram,  and  blessed  him.  And 
the  Lord  said  to  Jakob,  Thy  name  shall  be  no  more 
Jakob,  but  Israel  shall  be  thy  name ;  and  he  called  his 
name  Israel.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him,  I  am  El 
Shadai ;  increase  and  multiply ;  a  people  and  an 
assemblage  of  tribes  shall  be  from  thee,  and  kings  who 
shall  reign  over  the  peoples  shall  come  forth  from  thee. 
And  the  land  that  I  gave  to  Abraham  and  to  Izhak  I 
will  give  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  sons  after  thee,  will  I  give 
the  land.  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  ascended  above 
him,  in  the  place  where  He  had  spoken  with  him.  And 
Jakob  erected  a  pillar  in  the  place  where  He  had  spoken 
with  him,  a  pillar  of  stone,  and  outpoured  libations  upon 
it,  and  poured  oil  thereon.  And  Jakob  called  the  name 
of  the  place  where  the  Lord  had  spoken  with  him 
Bethel.  And  they  journeyed  from  Bethel,  and  there 
was  yet  a  space  of  land4  to  come  unto  Ephrath ;  and 
Rahel  travailed,  and  had  hard  (pain)  in  her  frirtli- 
labour.  And  as  she  travailed  in  her  labour,  the  mid¬ 
wife  said  to  her,  Pear  not,  for  also  this  to  thee  is  a 
son.  And  it  was  in  the  going  forth  of  her  soul,  for  she 
died,  that  she  called  his  name  The  son  of  my  woe  ;5  but 
his  father  called  him  Benjamin.6  And  Rahel  died,  and 
was  buried  in  the  way  of  Ephrath,  which  is  Beth- 
Lechem.  And  Jakob  erected  a  pillar  upon  her  grave: 
that  is  the  pillar  of  the  tomb  of  Rahel  unto  this  day. 
And  Israel  proceeded  and  spread  his  tabernacle 

2  Shephuli  misera.  3  Misar  bekitha. 

4  Literally,  kerub  araah ,  “  an  acre  of  ground.”  Some  think  that  Icerub 
araah  means  as  much  land  as  can  be  ploughed  in  a  day ;  a  tract  of  ground. 

5  Bar  de-wai ,  6  “  Son  of  the  right  hand.” 


116  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

beyond  the  tower  of  Adar.  And  it  was  while  Israel 
dwelt  in  that  land,  that  Reuben  went  and  lay 
with  Bilhah,  the  concubine  of  his  father.  And  Israel 
heard  it. 

And  the  sons  of  Jakob  were  twelve.  The  sons  of 
Leah,  the  firstborn  of  Jakob,  Reuben,  and  Shemeon, 
and  Levi,  and  Jehudah,  and  Issakar,  and  Zebulon.  The 
sons  of  Rahel,  Joseph  and  Benjamin.  The  sons  of 
Bilhah,  the  handmaid  of  Rahel,  Dan  and  Naphtali ;  and 
the  sons  of  Zilpha,  the  handmaid  of  Leah,  Gad  and 
Asher.  These  are  the  sons  of  Jakob,  who  were  born  to 
him  in  Padan  Aram.  And  Jakob  came  unto  Tzhak  his 
father,  unto  Mamre,  the  city  of  Arba,  which  is  Hebron ; 
for  Abraham  and  Izhak  had  dwelt  there.  And  the 
days  of  Izhak  were  an  hundred  and  eighty  years.  And 
Izhak  expired  and  died,  and  was  gathered  unto  his 
people,  old  and  content  with  days ;  and  Esau  and  J akob 
his  sons  buried  him. 

XXXVI.  And  these  are  the  generations  of  Esau,  who 
is  Edom.  Esau  took  his  wives  from  the  daughters  of 
Kenaan  :  Ada,  daughter  of  Helon  the  Hittite,  and 
Ahalivama,  the  daughter  of  Ana,  the  daughter  of 
Sibeon  the  Hivite,  and  Basemath,  the  daughter  of 
Ishmael,  the  sister  of  Nebaioth.  And  Ada  bare  to 
Esau  Eliphaz ;  and  Basemath  bare  Rebel ;  and  Ahalivama 
bare  Jehus,  and  Jaalam,  and  Korach.  These  are  the 
sons  of  Esau  who  were  born  to  him  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan.  And  Esau  took  his  wives,  and  his  sons,  and 
his  daughters,  and  all  the  souls  of  his  house,  and  his 
flocks,  and  all  his  cattle,  and  all  his  substance  which  he 
had  gotten  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  went  into 
another  land  from  before  J  akob  his  brother ;  because 
their  substance  was  too  great  for  them  to  dwell  together, 
and  the  land  of  their  habitation  could  not  sustain  them 
with  regard  to  their  cattle.  And  Esau  dwelt  in  the 


117 


XXXVI.]  ON  GENESIS. 

mountain  of  Seir.7  Esau  is  Edom.  And  these  are  the 
generations  of  Esau,  the  father  of  the  Edomai,  in  the 
mountain  of  Seir,7  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of 
Esau  :  Eliphaz,  the  son  of  Ada,  the  wife  of  Esau ;  Reiiel, 
son  of  Basemath,  the  wife  of  Esau.  And  the  sons  of 
Eliphaz  were  Theman,  Omar,  Zepho,  and  Gaetam,  and 
Kenaz.  And  Thimna  was  the  concubine  of  Eliphaz 
bar  Esau,  and  she  bare  to  Eliphaz  Amalek.  These  are 
the  sons  of  Ada,  the  wife  of  Esau.  And  these  are  the 
sons  of  Reiiel,  Nahath  and  Zara,  Shamma  and  Meza. 
These  are  the  sons  of  Basemath,  the  wife  of  Esau. 
And  these  are  the  sons  of  Ahalivama,  the  daughter  of 
Ana,  the  daughter  of  Zebeon,  the  wife  of  Esau ;  and  she 
bare  unto  Esau  Jehus,  and  Jaalam,  andKorach.  These 
are  the  chiefs 8  of  the  sons  of  Esau.  Of  the  sons  of 
Eliphaz  the  firstborn  of  Esau,  Rabba  Theman,  Rabba 
Omar,  Rabba  Zepho,  Rabba  Kenaz,  Rabba  Korach, 
Rabba  Gaetam,  Rabba  Amalek.  These  are  the  chiefs  of 
Eliphaz  in  the  land  of  Edom ;  these  are  the  sons  of 
Ada.  And  these  are  the  sons  of  Reiiel  bar  Esau :  Rabba 
Nachath,  Rabba  Zarach,  Rabba  Shamma,  Rabba  Meza. 
These  are  the  chiefs8  of  Reiiel  in  the  land  of  Edom ; 
these  are  the  sons  of  Basemath,  the  wife  of  Esau.  And 
these  are  the  sons  of  Ahalivama,  the  wife  of  Esau  : 
Rabba  Jehus,  Rabba  Jaalam,  Rabba  Korach.  These 
are  the  chiefs  of  Ahalivama,  the  daughter  of  Ana  the 
wife  of  Esau.  These  are  the  sons  of  Esau,  and  these 
are  their  chieftains.  He  is  Edom. 

These  are  the  sons  of  Seir,  the  Chorites,9  the  in¬ 
habitants  of  the  land,  Lothan,  and  Shobal,  and  Zibeon, 
and  Ana,  and  Disbon,  and  Etser,  and  Dishan.  These 
are  the  chieftains  of  the  Choraai,  the  sons  of  Seir,  in 
the  land  of  Edom.  And  the  sons  of  Loti  were  Hori  and 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  "  Gabla.” 

9  Chor ,  “  a  cavern  in  a  mountain.” 


Ravrevee. 


118  TAKGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Ilemaim,  and  the  sister  of  Lotan  was  Tirana.  And  these 
are  the  Beni  Shobal,  Alvan,  and  Manahath,  and  Ebal, 
Shephi,  and  Onam.  And  these  are  the  sons  of  Zebeon, 
Aya  and  Ana ;  he  is  Ana  who  found  the  giants 1 * 3  in  the 
desert  while  he  tended  the  asses  of  his  father  Zibeon. 
And  these  are  the  children  of  Ana,  Dishon,  and  Ahali- 
vama  the  daughter  of  Ana.  And  these  are  the  sons  of 
Dishan :  Hemdan,  and  Esliban,  and  Jethran,  and 
Keran.  These  are  the  sons  of  Etser :  Bilan,  and  Zaavan, 
and  Akan.  These  are  the  sons  of  Dishan  :  Huts  and 
Aran.  These  are  the  chieftains  of  the  Choraai :  Rabba 
Lotan,  Rabba  Shobal,  Rabba  Zebeon,  Rabba  Ana,  Rabba 
Dishon,  Rabba  Etser,  Rabba  Dishan.  These  are  the 
chieftains  of  the  Choraai,  according  to  their  principalities 
in  the  land  of  Seir. 

And  these  are  the  kings  who  reigned  in  the  land  of 
Edom,  before  that  kings  reigned  among  the  sons  of 
Israel :  Bela  the  son  of  Beor  reigned  in  Edom,  and  the 
name  of  his  city  was  Dinhava.  And  Bela  died,  and 
instead  of  him  reigned  Yobab  the  son  of  Zerah  of 
Botsra.  And  Yobab  died,  and  instead  of  him  reigned 
Husham,  of  the  land  of  the  south.  And  Husham 
died,  and  instead  of  him  reigned  Hadad,  the  son  of 
Bedad,  who  slew  the  Median®  in  the  fields  of  Moab ; 
and  the  name  of  his  city  was  Avith.  And  Hadad  died, 
and  in  his  stead  reigned  Simlah  of  Masereka.  And 
Simlah  died,  and  in  his  stead  reigned  Shaul  of  Recho- 
voth,a  which  is  on  the  Ph'rat.  And  Shaul  died,  and  in 
his  stead  reigned  Baal-Chanan  bar  Akbor.  And  Baal- 
Chanan  bar  Akbor  died,  and  in  his  stead  reigned  Hadar, 
and  the  name  of  his  city  was  Pau ;  and  the  name  of 
his  wife  Mehetavel,  the  daughter  of  Matered,  the 

1  Ith  gibbaraia.  Hebrew,  ha  yemim ,  “the  mules.”  The  Sam.  Vers, 

has,  am  aimai,  “  the  Emim  people.” 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Pathe.” 


XXXVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  119 

daughter  of  a  changer  of  gold.3  And  these  are  the 
names  of  the  chieftains  of  Esau,  after  their  kindreds,  by 
their  places,  with  their  names  :  Eabba  Timna,  Eabba 
Alvah,  Eabba  Jetheth,  Eabba  Ahalivama,  Eabba  Elah, 
Eabba  Phinon,  Eabba  Kenez,  Eabba  Teman,  Eabba 
Mabzar,  Eabba  Magdiel,  Eabba  Iram  :  these  are  the 
chieftains  of  Edom,  after  their  habitations  in  the  land 
of  their  possessions.  He  is  Esau,  the  father  of  the 
Edomites. 


SECTION  IX. 

VAYESHEV. 

XXXVII.  And  Jakob  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the 
habitation  of  his  father,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan.  These 
are  the  generations  of  Jakob.  Joseph  was  a  son  of 
seventeen  years ;  he  kept  the  flock  with  his  brothers ; 
and  he  had  been  brought  up  with  the  sons  of  Bilhah, 
and  with  the  sons  of  Zilpha,  the  wives  of  his  father ; 
and  Joseph  brought  their  evil  report  to  his  father. 
But  Israel  loved  Joseph  more  than  all  his  sons,  because 
he  had  in  him  a  wise  son,  and  he  made  him  a  varie¬ 
gated  robe.4  And  his  brothers  saw  that  their  father 

3  Bath  Metsareph  dahaha. 

4  Or,  ( Kitona  da-passei ,)  “  a  robe  of  pieces,”  i.e.,  coloured  ones. 
Hebrew,  Ketonath  passim.  In  the  treatise  Negaim  xi.  7,  we  have 
pispesin,  “  small  pieces.”  Castel  defines  the  Chaldee  root  pesa,  “  to 
expand,”  and  the  Hebrew  noun  pisyona,  “  extension.”  Hence,  some 
would  render  Kitona  da-passei,  “  a  long  robe  ;  ”  or,  as  Gesenius  does 
the  Hebrew,  “  a  garment  reaching  down  to  the  extremities.”  Compare 
Jonathan  and  the  Jerusalem  Targum  on  the  verse.  The  Samaritan  reads 
as  the  Hebrew.  The  Peschito  has  Kutino  da  pedyotha ,  “  a  fringed 
garment ;  ”  the  LXX.,  “  a  various  robe.” 


120  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

loved  him  better  than  all  his  brethren,  ancl  they  hated 
him,  and  were  not  willing  to  speak  with  him  peaceably. 
And  Joseph  dreamed  a  dream,  and  showed  it  to  his 
brothers,  and  they  hated  him  the  more.5  Aud  he  said 
to  them.  Hear  now  this  dream  which  I  have  dreamed  : 
Behold,  we  were  binding  sheaves  in  the  midst  of  the 
field,  and  lo !  my  sheaf  arose  and  became  upright,  and, 
behold,  your  sheaves  stood  around  and  worshipped  my 
sheaf.  And  his  brothers  said  to  him,  Is  it  thy  fancy 
reigning  to  reign  over  us  ?  or  a  shultan,  dost  thou  think 
to  govern  us  ?  And  they  added  yet  to  hate  him  for 
his  dreams  and  for  his  words.  And  he  dreamed  yet 
another  dream,  and  described  it  to  his  brothers,  saying, 
Behold,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream  again ;  and  lo,  the  sun, 
and  the  moon,  and  eleven  stars  worshipped  me.  And  he 
described  it  to  his  father  and  to  his  brethren ;  and  his 
father  rebuked  him6  and  said  to  him,  What  dream  is 
this  that  thou  hast  dreamed  ?  Am  I  and  thy  mother 
and  thy  brothers  to  come  and  worship  thee  on  the 
earth  ?  And  his  brothers  envied  him ;  but  his  father 
kept  the  word.  And  his  brothers  went  to  tend  the  flock 
of  their  father  in  Shekem.  And  Israel  said  to  Joseph, 
Do  not  thy  brothers  tend  the  flock  in  Shekem  ?  Come, 
I  will  send  thee  to  them.  And  he  said.  Behold  me. 
And  he  said  to  him,  Go  now,  and  see  the  welfare  of 
your  brothers  and  the  welfare  of  the  flock,  and  return 
me  word.  And  he  sent  him  from  the  vale  of  Hebron, 
and  he  came  to  Shekem.  And  a  man  found  him,  and, 
behold,  he  wandered  in  the  field.  And  the  man 
inquired  of  him,  saying,  Whom  seekest  thou  ?  And  he 
said,  I  look  for  my  brothers  :  show  me,  I  beseech  thee, 
where  they  feed.  And  the  man  said,  They  have  gone 
hence;  for  I  heard  them  say,  We  will  go  to  Dothan. 
And  Joseph  went  after  his  brethren,  and  found  them 
6  Sam.  Vers.,  c<  was  angry  with  him.” 


6  “  Added  to  hate  him.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


121 


XXXVII.] 

in  Dothan.  And  they  saw  him  from  afar ;  and  before 
he  came  nigh,  they  devised  against  him  to  kill  him. 
And  they  said,  a  man  to  his  brother,  Behold,  this  master 
of  dreams  cometh.  And  now,  come,  we  will  kill  him, 
and  cast  him  into  one  of  the  pits ;  and  will  say  an  evil 
beast  hath  devoured  him,  and  we  shall  see  what  will 
be  the  end  of  his  dreams.  And  Reuben  heard,  and 
delivered  him  out  of  their  hands,  and  said,  Let  us  not 
slay  his  life.  And  Reuben  said,  Do  not  shed  blood ; 
cast  him  into  this  pit  in  the  wilderness,  but  stretch  not 
forth  a  hand  against  him, — that  he  might  deliver  him 
from  their  hands  to  bring  him  back  to  his  father. 
And  it  was  when  Joseph  had  come  to  his  brethren  that 
they  took  off  his  robe,  the  variegated  robe  which  was 
upon  him,  and  they  took  him  and  cast  him  into  the 
pit ;  but  the  pit  was  empty,  no  water  was  in  it.  And 
they  reclined  to  eat  bread.  And  they  lifted  up  their 
eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  a  band  of  Arabaee7  were 
coming  from  Gilead,  with  their  camels  bearing  spices,8 
and  resin,9  and  myrrh,1  to  go  down  to  Mizraim.  And 
Jehuda  said  to  his  brethren.  What  gain2  should  we 
have  by  killing  our  brother  and  covering  his  blood  ? 
Come,  and  we  will  sell  him  to  the  Arabaee,  and  our 
hand  shall  not  be  upon  him;  for  he  is  our  brother, 
our  flesh.  And  his  brethren  hearkened  to  him.  And 
there  passed  by  Midianite  men,  (gabree  Mid-ya-naee,) 
merchants,  and  they  drew  and  lifted  up  Joseph  from 
the  pit,  and  sold  Joseph  to  the  Arabaee  for  twenty  of 
silver;  and  they  brought  Joseph  into  Mizraim.  And 
Reuben  returned  to  the  pit,  and,  behold,  Joseph  was  not 

7  Heb.  and  Sam.,  “  Ishmaelites.” 

8  Sheaph,  “balsam.”  Heb.  and  Sam.,  nelcoth,  “spicery.”  LXX., 

“  perfumery.”  Aquila,  storax. 

9  Quetapk,  “gum.”  Heb.,  tsere,  probably  opobalsamum. 

1  Letom.  Heb.,  lot,  “  the  gum  of  the  cistus.”  LXX.,  stacte. 

3  Lit.,  “  "What  mammon  ?  ” 


G 


122  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

in  the  pit.  And  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  returned  to 
his  brethren,  and  said,  The  youth  is  not ;  and  I,  whither 
shall  I  go  ?  But  they  took  Joseph's  robe,  and  killed 
a  kid  of  the  goats,  and  dabbled  the  robe  in  the  blood. 
And  they  sent  the  variegated  robe,  and  they  brought  to 
their  father,  and  said,  This  have  we  found ;  know  now 
whether  it  is  the  robe  of  thy  son,  or  not.  And  he 
knew  it,  and  said,  It  is  my  son's  robe ;  an  evil  beast 
hath  devoured  him  :  slain,  slain  is  Joseph  !  And  Jakob 
rent  his  clothes,  and  wrapped  sackcloth  upon  his  loins, 
and  mourned  for  his  son  many  days.  And  all  his  sons, 
and  all  his  house,  arose  to  comfort  him ;  but  he  refused 
to  take  comfort,  and  said,  Bor  I  will  go  down  unto  my 
son,  mourning  into  Sheol.  And  his  father  wept  for 
him.  And  the  Midianites  sold  him  in  Mizraim  to 
Potiphar,  a  prince  of  Pharoh,  chief  of  the  killers. 

XXXVIII.  And  it  was  at  that  time  that  Jehuda  went 
down  from  his  brethren,  and  turned  aside  to  an  Adulamite 
man  whose  name  was  Hira.  And  Jehuda  saw  there 
the  daughter  of  a  merchant  man  whose  name  was  Shuva, 
and  he  took  her  and  went  in  with  her ;  and  she  conceived 
and  bare  a  son,  and  he  called  his  name  Her ;  and  she 
conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name 
Onan.  And  she  added  again,  and  bare  a  son,  and 
called  his  name  Shelah ;  and  he  was  in  Kezib  when  she 
bare  him.  And  Jehuda  took  a  wife  for  Her  his  first¬ 
born,  and  her  name  was  Tamar.  And  Her  the  first¬ 
born  of  Jehuda  was  evil  before  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord 
caused  him  to  die.  And  Jehuda  said  to  Onan,  Go  in 
with  the  wife  of  thy  brother,  and  associate  with  her, 
and  raise  up  seed  to  thy  brother.  And  Onan  knew 
that  after  his  name  the  seed  would  not  be  called  ; 
and  it  was  that  when  he  went  in  with  the  wife  of  his 
brother,  he  corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth  that  he 
might  not  raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother ;  and  what  he 


XXXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  123 

did  was  evil  before  the  Lord,  and  he  caused  him  also  to 
die.  And  Jehuda  said  to  Tamar  his  daughter-in-law, 
Remain  a  widow  in  thy  father's  house  until  Shelah  my 
son  be  grown  up.  For  he  said,  Lest  he  also  die  like 
his  brothers  :  and  Tamar  went  and  dwelt  in  her  father's 
house.  And  after  many  days  the  daughter  of  Shuva, 
Jehuda's  wife,  died:  and  Jehuda  was  comforted;  and 
he  went  up  to  the  shearers  of  his  sheep,  he  and  Hira 
the  Adulamite  his  friend  unto  Timnath.  And  it  was 
shown  to  Tamar,  saying,  Behold,  thy  father-in-law 
cometh  to  Timnath  to  shear  his  sheep.  And  she  laid 
aside  the  dress  of  her  widowhood,  and  covered  herself 
with  a  mantle  (or  a  large  veil),  and  adorned  herself,3  and 
sat  in  the  dividing  of  Avnin 4 5  which  is  in  the  way  to 
Timnath.  For  she  saw  that  Shelah  had  grown  up,  and 
she  had  not  been  given  to  him  for  a  wife.  And  Jehuda 
saw  her,  and  thought  that  she  was  an  outcast,  because 
she  had  covered  her  face.  And  he  declined  to  her  by 
the  way,  and  said,  Give  me  now  to  go  in  unto  thee ;  for 
he  did  not  knowT  that  she  was  his  daughter-in-law. 
And  she  said.  What  wilt  thou  give  me,  that  thou  mayest 
come  to  me  ?  And  he  said,  I  will  send  thee  a  kid  of 
the  goats  from  the  flock.  And  she  said,  If  thou  wilt 
give  me  a  pledge  until  thou  send.  And  he  said, 
What  is  the  pledge  that  I  shall  give  thee  ?  And  she  said, 
Thy  seal-ring,  and  thy  scarf, 6  and  thy  staff  that  is  in  thy 
hand.  And  he  gave  to  her,  and  wrent  in  to  her,  and 
she  conceived  by  him.  And  she  arose,  and  went,  and 
put  off  the  veil  from  her,  and  dressed  herself  in  the  dress 
of  her  widowhood.  And  Jehuda  sent  the  kid  of  the 
goats,  by  the  hand  of  his  friend  the  Adulamite,  to  receive 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “changed  herself.” 

4  B\ pharashoth  Aynin,  “  in  a  conspicuous  (?)  branching  of  the  road.” 
The  Sam.  Vers,  has,  “  in  the  gate  of  Chasbim.” 

5  Shoshejphy  “  a  handkerchief,”  sudarium. 

G  2 


124  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

the  pledge  from  the  hand  of  the  woman ;  but  he  could 
not  find  her.  And  he  inquired  of  the  men  of  the  place, 
saying,  Where  is  the  harlot  who  was  in  Aynin  upon  the 
way  ?  And  they  said  to  him,  There  is  no  harlot  here. 
And  he  returned  to  Jehuda,  and  said,  I  could  not  find 
her ;  the  men  of  the  place  also  said  there  is  no  harlot 
there.  And  Jehuda  said,  Let  her  take  it  to  her,  lest  we 
be  in  contempt :  behold,  I  sent  this  kid,  and  thou  hast 
not  found  her.  And  it  was  three  months,  and  it  was 
showed  to  Jehuda,  saying,  Tamar  thy  daughter-in-law 
hath  committed  fornication,  and,  behold,  she  is  with 
child  by  fornication.  And  Jehuda  said,  Bring  her  out, 
and  let  her  be  burned.  And  she  was  brought  out. 
And  she  sent  to  her  father-in-law,  saying,  By  the  man 
to  whom  these  belong  I  am  with  child.  And  she 
said,  Acknowledge  now,  whose  are  these,  the  seal,  the 
scarf,  and  the  staff?  And  Jehuda  acknowledged  and 
said,  She  is  justified  in  having  conceived  from  me, 
because  I  have  not  given  her  Shelah  my  son.  And  he 
added  not  again  to  know  her.  And  it  was  the  time  of 
her  giving  birth,  and,  behold,  twins  were  in  her  womb. 
And  it  was  in  giving  birth  that  one  of  them  put  forth  a 
hand ;  and  the  midwife  took  and  tied  scarlet  upon  his 
hand,  saying,  This  came  the  first.  And  it  was  when  he 
had  drawn  back  his  hand  that  his  brother  came  forth  : 
and  she  said,  How  much  greater  strength  is  with  thee, 
that  thou  hast  prevailed !  And  she  called  his  name 
Pharets.  And  afterwards  came  forth  his  brother  who 
had  the  crimson  on  his  hand,  and  she  called  his  name 
Zarah. 

XXXIX.  But  Joseph  was  brought  down  into  Mizraim, 
and  Potiphar,  a  chief  of  Pharoh,  a  chief  of  the  killers,  a 
Mizraite  man,  bought  him  from  the  hand  of  the  Arabaee 
who  had  brought  him  down  thither.  And  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  was  the  helper  of  Joseph,  and  he  became  a 


ON  GENESIS. 


125 


XXXIX.] 

prosperous  man,  and  was  in  tlie  house  of  his  Mizraite 
master.  And  his  master  saw  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
was  his  helper,  and  that  all  that  he  did  the  Lord  prospered 
in  his  hand.  And  Joseph  found  favour  in  his  eyes, 
and  he  served  him.  And  he  appointed  him  over  his 
house,  and  all  that  he  had  he  delivered  into  his  hand. 
And  it  was  from  the  time  that  he  appointed  him  over 
his  house,  and  over  all  that  he  had,  that  the  Lord 
blessed  the  house  of  the  Mizraite  for  Joseph's  sake,  and 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord  was  upon  all  that  he  had,  in 
the  house  and  in  the  field.  And  he  left  all  that 
belonged  to  him  in  the  hand  of  Joseph ;  and  he  knew 
of  nothing  that  was  with  him,  except  the  bread  which 
he  ate.  Now  Joseph  was  of  goodly  appearance, 
beautiful  in  aspect.  And  it  was  after  these  things 
that  the  wife  of  his  master  lifted  up  her  eyes  to  Joseph, 
and  said.  Lie  with  me.  But  he  refused,  and  said  to  his 
master's  wife.  Behold,  my  master  knoweth  not  what  is 
with  me  in  the  house,  and  all  that  he  hath  he  hath 
delivered  unto  my  hand ;  there  is  no  one  in  this  house 
greater  than  I,  and  he  hath  not  prohibited  anything 
from  me  but  thyself,  because  thou  art  his  wife  :  and  how 
can  I  do  this  great  wickedness  and  become  guilty  before 
the  Lord  ?  And  it  was  when  she  spake  with  Joseph  daily 
that  he  would  not  hearken  to  her  to  lie  with  her,  or  be 
with  her.  And  it  was  about  this  day  that  he  came  into 
the  house  to  examine  the  writings  of  his  affairs,  and  no 
man  of  the  men  of  the  house  was  there  in  the  house. 
And  she  laid  hold  of  his  garments,  saying,  Lie  with  me. 
But  he  left  his  garment  in  her  hand,  and  fled,  and  went 
forth  into  the  street.  And  she  called  to  the  men  of  her 
house,  and  spake  to  them,  saying,  See,  he  brought  us  a 
Hebrew  man  to  mock  at  us.  He  came  in  to  me  to  lie 
with  me ;  and  I  cried  with  a  high  voice.  And  it  w'as 
w'hen  he  heard  that  I  lifted  up  my  voice  and  cried,  h 


126  TARGUM  OP  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

left  his  robe  with  me,  and  fled  and  went  forth  into  the 
street.  And  she  let  his  robe  remain  with  her  until  his 
master  came  into  his  house.  And  she  spake  with  him 
these  words,  saying,  The  Hebrew  servant  whom  thou 
broughtest  us  came  in  to  me  to  mock  at  me.  And  it  was 
when  I  lifted  up  my  voice  and  cried,  he  left  his  robe 
with  me  and  fled  into  the  street.  And  when  his  master 
heard  the  words  of  his  wife  which  she  spake  with  him, 
saying,  According  to  these  things  hath  thy  servant  done 
to  me,  his  anger  waxed  strong,  and  his  master  took 
Joseph,  and  delivered  him  to  the  house  of  the  bound, 
where  the  prisoners  of  the  king  were  bound ;  and  he 
was  there  in  the  house  of  the  bound.  But  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  was  the  helper  of  Joseph,  and  showed  him 
mercy,  and  gave  him  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  captain 
of  the  prison.  And  the  captain  of  the  prison  gave  into 
the  hand  of  Joseph  all  the  prisoners  who  were  in  the 
house  of  the  bound,  and  all  that  they  did  there  was  done 
according  to  his  word.  The  captain  of  the  prison  saw 
no  fault  in  his  hand,  because  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
was  his  helper,  and  that  which  he  did  the  Lord  made  to 
prosper. 

XL.  And  after  these  things  the  cup-bearer  and  the 
baker  of  the  king  of  Mizraim  offended  their  master, 
the  king  of  Mizraim.  And  Pharoh  was  angry  with 
two  of  his  chiefs,  with  the  chief  of  the  cupbearers  and 
with  the  chief  of  the  bakers.  And  he  gave  them  into 
ward  in  the  house  of  the  cnptain  of  the  executioners 
(killers)  in  the  house  of  the  prison,  the  place  where 
Joseph  was  confined.  And  the  captain  of  the  exe¬ 
cutioners  appointed  Joseph  with  them,  and  he  minis¬ 
tered  to  them,  and  they  were  certain  days  in  ward. 
And  they  dreamed  a  dream,  both  of  them,  each  man  his 
dream  in  one  night,  each  man  according  to  the  interpre¬ 
tation  of  his  dream,  the  cupbearer  and  the  baker  of  the 


ON  GENESIS. 


127 


XL.] 

king  of  Mizraim,  who  were  confined  in  the  house  of  the 
bound.  And  Joseph  came  to  them  in  the  morning,  and 
saw  them,  and,  behold,  they  were  melancholy.  And  he 
asked  the  chiefs  of  Pliaroh  who  were  with  him  in  ward, 
in  his  master's  house,  saying,  Why  are  your  faces  evil 
to-day  ?  And  they  said  to  him,  We  have  dreamed  a 
dream,  and  there  is  no  interpreter  of  it.  And  Joseph 
said  to  them,  Are  not  interpretations  from  before  the 
Lord  ?  Relate  it  now  to  me.  And  the  chief  of  the 
cupbearers  related  his  dream  to  Joseph,  and  said  to 
him,  In  my  dream,  behold,  a  vine  was  before  me,  and  in 
the  vine  were  three  branches  :  and  it  was,  as  it  sprouted, 
it  produced  buds,  and,  having  flowered,  ripened  clusters 
of  grapes.  And  the  cup  of  Pharoh  was  in  my  hand ; 
and  I  took  grapes  and  expressed  them  into  Pharoh' s 
cup,  and  gave  the  cup  into  Pharoh' s  hand.  And  Joseph 
said  to  him,  This  is  the  interpretation  :  the  three 
branches  are  three  days.  At  the  end  of  three  days, 
Pharoh  will  remember  thee6  and  restore  thee  to  thy 
service,  and  thou  wilt  give  the  cup  into  Pharoh's  hand, 
according  to  thy  former  custom  when  thou  wast  cup¬ 
bearer  to  him.  But  let  remembrance  of  me  be  with 
thee  when  it  shall  be  well  with  thee,  and  do  me  favour, 
I  beseech  thee,  and  remember  me  before  Pharoh,  and 
deliver  me  from  this  prison.  Por  I  was  verily  taken  by 
fraud  from  the  land  of  the  Hivraee,  and  here  have  I  done 
nothing  evil  that  I  should  be  imprisoned.  And  when 
the  master  of  the  bakers  saw  that  he  had  interpreted 
pleasantly,  he  said  to  Joseph,  I  also  (was)  in  my  dream, 
and,  behold,  three  baskets  of  confectionery7  were  upon 
my  head,  and  in  the  upper  basket  were  all  (sorts  of) 
food  for  Pharoh,  the  work  of  the  baker ;  and  the  birds 
ate  them  from  the  basket  that  was  on  my  head.  And 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  will  take  up  thy  reckoning,  or  account.” 

7  Cheiru,  (Heb.,  chori ,)  “  white  bread.” 


128  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Joseph  answered  and  said.  This  is  the  interpretation  of 
it :  The  three  baskets  are  three  days ;  at  the  end  of 
three  days  will  Pharoh  remove  thy  head  from  off  thee, 
and  will  hang  thee  upon  a  gibbet,  and  the  birds  will  eat 
thy  flesh  from  off  thee.  And  it  was  on  the  third  day, 
the  day  of  the  nativity  of  Pharoh,  that  he  made  a  feast 
for  all  his  servants,  and  he  took  the  head8  of  the  chief 
cupbearer  and  the  head8  of  the  chief  of  the  bakers  in 
the  midst  of  his  servants.  And  he  restored  the  chief 
cupbearer  to  his  office,  and  he  gave  the  cup  into 
Pharoh's  hand.  And  the  chief  of  the  bakers  he 
hanged,  as  Joseph  had  interpreted  to  them.  Yet  the 
chief  cupbearer  did  not  remember  Joseph,  but  forgat 
him. 


SECTION  X. 

Y  A  YE  HI  MEKETS. 

And  it  was  at  the  end  of  two  years  that  Pharoh 
dreamed,  and,  behold,  he  stood  by  the  River.  And, 
behold,  there  came  up  from  the  River  seven  oxen,  goodly 
in  appearance,  and  fat-fleshed ;  and  they  grazed  in  the 
meadow.9  And,  behold,  seven  other  oxen  came  up 
from  the  river  after  them,  evil  in  appearance,  and  lean- 
fleshed  ;  and  they  stood  beside  them  by  the  bank  of  the 
river.  And  the  evil-looking  and  lean-fleshed  oxen  ate 
up  the  seven  well-looking  and  fat  ones :  and  Pharoh 
awoke.  And  he  slept,  and  dreamed  a  second  (time) ; 
and,  behold,  seven  ears  rose  up  from  one  stalk,  large 
and  good,  and,  behold,  seven  ears,  thin,  and  blighted 
8  Sara.  Vers.,  **  the  account.”  9  Or,  “  sedge.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


129 


XLI.] 


(with  the)  east  (wind),  sprang  up  after  them.  And  the 
seven  wasted  ears  devoured  the  seven  large  and  full 
ears.  And  Pharoli  awoke,  and,  behold,  a  dream.  And 
when  it  was  morning  his  spirit  was  troubled,  and  he 
sent  and  called  all  the  magicians 1  of  Mizraim,  and  all 
the  wise  men  ; 3  and  Pharoh  related  the  dreams  to  them, 
but  they  could  not  interpret  them  to  Pharoh.  And  the 
chief  of  the  cupbearers  spake  to  Pharoh,  saying,  My 
faults  I  do  remember  this  day.  Pharoh  was  displeased 
with  his  servants,  and  gave  me  into  custody  at  the 
house  of  the  chief  executioner,  and  the  chief  baker  with 
me.  And  we  dreamed  a  dream  in  one  night,  I  and  he, 
each  man  according  to  the  interpretation  of  his  dream, 
we  dreamed.  And  with  us  there  was  a  Hebrew  youth, 
a  servant  of  the  chief  executioner ;  and  we  recounted  to 
him,  and  he  explained  to  us  our  dreams,  to  each  man 
according  to  his  dream  he  explained  ;  and  according  as 
he  had  explained  to  us,  so  it  was :  me  he  restored  to 
my  service,  and  him  he  hanged.  And  Pharoh  sent,  and 
called  Joseph,  and  made  him  hasten  from  the  prison ; 
and  he  dressed  his  hair,3  and  changed  his  garments,  and 
came  unto  Pharoh.  And  Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  I 
have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is  no  one  to  interpret 
it.  And  I  have  heard  of  thee,  saying,  that  thou  hearest 
a  dream,  and  dost  interpret  it.  And  Joseph  answered 
Pharoh,  saying,  Not  from  my  wisdom,  but  from  before 
the  Lord,  will  there  be  an  answer  of  peace  unto  Pharoh. 
And  Pharoh  spake  with  Joseph,  saying.  In  my  dream, 
behold,  I  stood  upon  the  bank  of  the  River;  and, 
behold,  from  the  River  rose  up  seven  oxen,  fat-fleshed 
and  goodly  in  appearance,  and  they  grazed  in  the  mea¬ 
dow.4  And,  behold,  seven  other  oxen  came  up  after 
them,  lean  and  most  evil  in  appearance,  so  wanting  in 

1  Harashee.  2  HaJcimaha.  3  Yesafir — attonsus  est . 

4  Or,  “  sedge.” 


130  TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

flesh,  that  their  like  I  have  not  seen  in  all  the  land  of 
Mizraim  for  badness.  And  the  lean  oxen  and  evil  ones 
ate  up  the  seven  first  fat  oxen.  And  they  entered  into 
their  stomachs  ;  but  it  could  not  be  known  that  they  had 
entered  into  their  stomachs,  for  their  appearance  was 
bad  as  before ;  and  I  awoke.  I  saw  in  my  dream,  and, 
behold,  seven  ears  of  corn  arose  on  one  stalk,  full  and 
good.  And,  behold,  seven  (other)  ears,  hard,  thin,  and 
blasted  (with  the)  east  (wind),  sprang  up  after  them. 
And  the  thin  ears  devoured  the  seven  good  ears.  And 
I  told  it  to  the  magicians,  but  there  was  no  one  who 
could  show  it  to  me.  And  Joseph  answered  Pharoh, 
The  dream  of  Pharoh  is  one.  That  which  the  Lord  is 
about  to  do  He  hath  showed  to  Pharoh.  The  seven 
good  oxen  are  seven  years ;  and  the  seven  good  ears  of 
corn  are  seven  years ;  the  dream  is  one.  And  the  seven 
lean  and  evil  oxen  which  came  up  after  them  are  seven 
years ;  and  the  seven  ears,  thin,  and  blasted  with  the  east 
wind,  are  seven  years  of  famine.  This  is  the  word 
which  I  have  spoken  to  Pharoh.  What  the  Lord  is 
about  to  do,  He  hath  showed  to  Pharoh.  Behold,  there 
come  seven  years  of  great  plenty  in  all  the  land  of  Miz¬ 
raim.  And  after  them  will  arise  seven  years  of  famine, 
and  all  the  plenty  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  will  be  for¬ 
gotten,  and  the  famine  will  consume  the  people  of  the 
land.  And  plenty  will  not  be  known  in  the  land  for 
that  famine  which  will  be  afterward ;  for  it  will  be  very 
mighty.  And  forasmuch  as  the  dream  was  repeated  to 
Pharoh  twice,  it  is  a  confirmed  thing  before  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  will  hasten  to  do  it.  And  now  let  Pharoh 
look  out  a  prudent  and  wise  man,  and  appoint  him  over 
the  land  of  Mizraim.  Let  Pharoh  do  this,  and  appoint 
officers  (lit.,  faithful  men)  over  the  land,  and  let  them 
sow  the  land  of  Mizraim  in  the  seven  years  of  plenty, 
and  collect  all  the  produce  of  those  good  years  that 


ON  GENESIS. 


131 


XLI.] 


come,  and  lay  up  provision  under  the  hand  of  Pharoh's 
officers,  and  preserve  it  in  the  cities :  and  it  will  be 
provision  for  the  people  of  the  land  in  the  seven  years 
of  famine  that  are  coming  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  that 
the  people  of  the  land  may  not  be  consumed  by  the 
famine.  And  the  thing  was  good  in  the  eyes  of 
Pharoh,  and  in  the  eyes  of  all  his  servants.  And 
Pharoh  said  to  his  servants,  Can  we  find  a  man  like 
this,  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy  from  the  Lord  ? 
And  Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  Since  the  Lord  hath  made 
all  this  known  to  thee,  there  is  none  more  prudent  or 
wise  than  thou ;  thou  shalt  be  appointed  over  my  house, 
and  by  thy  word  shall  all  my  people  be  governed  ;5  only 
in  the  throne  of  this  kingdom  will  I  be  more  honourable 
than  thou.  And  Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  See,  I  have 
appointed  thee  over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Pharoh  took  off  his  ring  from  his  hand,  and  set  it  upon 
Joseph's  hand,  and  clothed  him  in  a  robe  of  lawn,6  and 
put  a  chain  of  gold  upon  his  neck.  And  he  made  him 
ride  in  his  own  second  chariot/  and  they  proclaimed 
before  him,  This  is  the  father  of  the  king ; 8  and  he 
appointed  him  over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  I  am  Pharoh ;  and  without  thy 
word  shall  no  man  lift  np  his  hand  to  hold  a  weapon, 
nor  his  foot  to  mount  a  horse,  in  all  the  land  of  Miz¬ 
raim.  And  Pharoh  called  the  name  of  Joseph,  The 
man  to  whom  mysteries  are  revealed.9  And  he  gave 
him  Asenath,  the  daughter  of  Poti  Phera,1  prince  of 
On,  to  be  his  wife;  and  Joseph  went  forth  ruling 
over  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Joseph  was  a  son 
of  thirty  years  when  he  stood  before  Pharoh,  king 


5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  be  fed.”  6  Butz,  byssus. 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  double  chariot.”  8  Been  aba  lemalka, 

9  Sam.  Vers.,  Temirthi  gala ,  “  The  Revealer  of  mysteries.” 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  the  daughter  of  the  Koheu  Potiphera.” 


132 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 

of  Mizraim.  And  Joseph  went  out  from  before 
Pharoh,  and  passed  through  all  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

And  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  collected  in  the 
seven  years  of  plenty  the  provision  into  granaries. 
And  he  collected  all  the  provision  of  the  seven  years 
which  was  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  laid  up  the  pro¬ 
vision  in  cities,  in  the  midst  of  each  city  the  provision 
of  the  land  surrounding  it.  And  Joseph  gathered  pro¬ 
vision  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  exceeding  much,  until  he 
ceased  to  number,  for  it  was  without  number.  And 
unto  Joseph  were  born  two  sons,  (before  the  year  of 
famine  came,)  which  Asenath,  daughter  of  Potiphera, 
prince  of  On,  bare  to  him.  And  Joseph  called  the 
name  of  the  firstborn  Menasheh ; 2  because  the  Lord 
hath  made  me  to  forget  all  my  labour  and  all  my 
father’s  house.  And  the  name  of  the  second  he  called 
Eph-ra-im  ;3  because  the  Lord  hath  made  me  to  increase 
in  the  land  of  my  servitude.  And  the  seven  years  of 
plenty  which  were  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  were  com¬ 
pleted.  And  the  seven  years  of  famine  began  to  come, 
as  Joseph  had  said ;  and  the  famine  was  in  all  the 
lands,  but  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  there  was  bread. 
Yet  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  was  famished,  and  the 
people  cried  before  Pharoh  for  bread  :  and  Pharoh  said 
to  all  the  Mizraee,  Go  unto  Joseph,  and  what  he  shall 
say  to  you,  do.  And  the  famine  was  over  all  the  face 
of  the  land ;  and  Joseph  opened  all  the  granaries  in 
which  was  the  corn,  and  sold  to  the  Mizraee,  and  the 
famine  became  mighty  in  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  came  into  Mizraim  to  buy  corn  of 
Joseph,  because  the  famine  was  mighty  in  all  the  earth. 

XLII.  And  Jakob  saw  that  corn  was  sold  in  Mizraim, 
and  Jakob  said  to  his  sons,  Why  look  you  (on  each  other)?4 

3  From  nashah,  “to  forget.”  3  Yrom  pharah,  "to  be  fruitful.” 

4  Lama  tithchazun. 


ON  GENESIS. 


133 


XLII.] 

And  he  said,  Behold,  I  have  heard  that  corn  is  sold  in 
Mizraim  :  go  down  thither,  and  buy  us  from  thence, 
and  we  shall  live,  and  not  die.  And  the  ten  brothers 
of  Joseph  went  down  to  buy  corn  from  Mizraim ;  but 
Benjamin,  the  brother  of  Joseph,  Jakob  sent  not  with 
his  brethren  ;  for  he  said,  Lest  death  should  befall  him. 
And  the  sons  of  Israel  came  to  buy  corn  among  them 
who  came ;  for  the  famine  was  in  the  land  of  Kenaau. 
And  Joseph,  who  was  ruler  over  the  land,  was  he  who 
sold  the  corn  to  all  the  people  of  the  earth.  And  the 
brothers  of  Joseph  came,  and  bowed  before  him  with 
their  faces  upon  the  ground.  And  Joseph  saw  his 
brothers,  and  knew  them,  and  considered  what  he 
should  say  to  them.  And  he  spake  with  them  severely, 
and  said  to  them.  Whence  come  you  ?  And  they  said. 
From  the  land  of  Kenaan,  to  buy  corn.  And  Joseph 
knew  his  brothers,  but  they  did  not  know  him.  And 
Joseph  remembered  the  dreams  which  he  had  dreamed 
of  them ;  and  he  said  to  them,  You  are  spies ;  to  see 
the  ruin 5  of  the  land  are  you  come.  And  they  said, 
No,  my  lord,  (: ribboni ,)  thy  servants  are  come  to  buy  corn. 
We  are  all  the  sons  of  one  man.  Right  (men)  are  we ; 
thy  servants  are  not  spies.  But  he  said  to  them.  No,  but 
you  are  come  to  see  the  ruin  of  the  land.  And  they 
said,  Thy  servants  are  twelve  brothers,  the  sons  of  one 
man,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan ;  and,  behold,  the  youngest 
is  with  our  father  to-day,  and  one  is  not !  And  Joseph 
said  to  them.  That  is  what  I  have  told  you,  saying,  You 
are  spies ;  by  this  you  shall  be  proved  :  by  the  life  of 
Pharoh  you  shall  not  go  hence,  until  your  youngest 
brother  be  come  hither.  Send  one  of  you,  and  bring 
your  brother;  but  you  shall  be  bound,  and  your  words 
shall  be  proved,  whether  you  have  spoken  the  truth ;  if 
not,  by  the  life  of  Pharoh,  you  are  spies.  And  he  put 
5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  the  shame  of  the  land.” 


134  TARGUM  or  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

them  in  the  house  of  custody  three  days.  And  Joseph 
said  to  them  the  third  day.  This  do,  and  live;  for  I 
fear  before  the  Lord.  If  you  be  true,  let  one  of  your 
brethren  be  bound  in  the  prison  ;  and  go  you,  carry  the 
provision  which  is  needed  in  your  house,  and  bring 
your  youngest  brother  to  me,  and  your  words  will  be 
verified,  and  you  shall  not  die.  And  they  did  so.  And 
they  said,  a  man  to  his  brother,  We  are  verily  guilty 
concerning  our  brother  ;  that  we  saw  the  anguish  of  his 
soul,  when  he  implored  us,  and  we  would  not  hearken 
to  him  :  therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon  us.  And 
Reuben  answered  them,  saying,  Did  not  I  tell  you, 
saying.  Do  not  sin  against  the  youth?  but  you  would 
not  hearken.  Thus,  behold,  his  blood  is  required. 
But  they  knew  not  that  Joseph  heard  ;  for  there  was 
an  interpreter  between  them.  And  he  turned  himself 
away  from  them,  and  wept.  And  he  returned  and 
spake  to  them,  and  took  Shemeon  from  them,  and 
bound  him  before  their  eyes.  And  Joseph  commanded 
to  fill  their  vessels  with  corn,  and  return  their  money 
(that  of  each)  man  in  his  sack,  and  give  them  food  in 
the  way.  And  he  did  so  by  them.  And  they  laid 
their  corn  upon  their  asses,  and  went  thence.  And  one 
opened  his  sack  to  give  provender  to  his  ass  at  the 
house  of  lodging,6  and  saw  his  money,  and,  behold,  it 
was  in  the  mouth  of  his  package ;  and  he  said  to  his 
brothers,  My  money  is  returned,  and,  behold,  it  is  in 
my  package.  And  the  knowledge  of  their  hearts  failed, 
and  they  were  each  of  them  confounded,  saying.  What 
is  this  which  the  Lord  hath  done  to  us  ?  And  they 
came  to  Jakob  their  father  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and 
showed  him  all  that  had  happened  to  them,  saying,  The 
man,  the  lord  of  the  country,  spoke  hardly  with  us,  and 
dealt  with  us  as  spies  of  the  land.  And  we  told  him, 
8  Beth  mebatha. 


XL1II.]  ON  GENESIS.  135 

We  are  true  men,  not  spies :  we  are  twelve  brothers, 
sons  of  one  father  :  one  is  not,  and  the  youngest  is  to¬ 
day  with  our  father  in  the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  the 
man,  the  lord  of  the  country,  said  to  us,  By  this  I  shall 
know  that  you  are  true  men.  Leave  one  of  your  breth¬ 
ren  with  me,  and  take  the  corn  which  is  needed  in 
your  house,  and  go,  and  bring  your  youngest  brother 
to  me,  and  I  shall  know  that  you  are  not  spies  :  and 
when  you  (will  be  proved  to)  be  true  men,  I  will  give 
up  your  brother  to  you,  and  you  shall  trade  in  the  land. 
And  it  was,  as  they  emptied  their  sacks,  behold,  each 
man's  money  was  bound  up  in  his  sack ;  and  when  they 
and  their  father  saw  the  envelopes  of  their  money,  they 
were  afraid.  And  Jakob  their  father  said  to  them,  Me 
have  you  made  desolate;  Joseph  is  not,  and  Shemeon 
is  not  (here),  and  Benjamin  you  would  take  away ; 
upon  me  are  all  these  !  And  Beuben  spake  with  his 
father,  saying,  Thou  shalt  put  my  two  children  to  death 
if  I  do  not  bring  him  back  to  thee.  Deliver  him  into 
my  hand,  and  I  will  return  him  to  thee.  But  he  said, 
My  son  shall  not  go  down  with  you  ;  for  his  brother  is 
dead,  and  he  alone  remains ;  and  if  death  should  befall 
him  in  the  way  in  which  you  will  go,  you  will  bring 
down  my  grey  hairs  with  mourning  unto  Sheol. 

XLIII.  But  the  famine  prevailed  in  the  land.  And 
it  was  when  they  had  ended  to  eat  the  corn  which  they 
had  brought  from  Mizraim,  that  their  father  said  to 
them,  Eeturn,  and  buy  for  us  a  little  corn.  And  Jehuda 
spake  to  him,  saying,  The  man  attesting  attested  to  us, 
saying,  You  shall  not  see  my  face  unless  your  brother 
be  with  you.  If  thou  wilt  send  our  brother  with  us, 
we  will  go  down  and  buy  thee  corn ;  but  if  thou  wilt 
not  send,  we  will  not  go  down :  for  the  man  told  us, 
You  shall  not  see  my  face  unless  your  brother  be  with 
you.  And  Israel  said,  Why  did  you  do  me  this  evil, 


136  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

in  showing  the  man  that  you  have  a  brother  ?  And 
they  said,  The  man  asking  asked  us  concerning  our 
family,7  saying,  Is  your  father  yet  alive?  Have  you  a 
brother  ?  And  we  showed  him  according  to  the  word 
of  these  things :  knowing  could  we  know  that  he 
would  say,  Bring  your  brother  to  me  ?  And  Jehuda 
said  to  Israel  his  father,  Send  the  youth  with  me,  and 
let  us  arise  and  go,  that  we  may  live  and  not  die,  we, 
and  thou,  and  our  little  ones.  I  will  be  the  pledge  for 
him ;  of  my  hand  shalt  thou  require  him  ;  if  I  do  not 
bring  him  back  to  thee,  and  set  him  before  thee,  let 
mine  be  the  sin  with  thee  all  the  days.  Bor  except  we 
had  delayed  in  this,  we  might  now  have  returned  twice. 
And  Israel  their  father  said  to  them,  If  then  it  is  to  be, 
do  this  :  take  of  what  is  praiseworthy 8  in  the  land  in 
your  vessels,  and  carry  down  to  the  man  an  offering;  a 
little  gum,  and  a  little  honey,  storax  and  ladanum, 
nuts  and  almonds ;  and  silver,  two  for  one  take  in  your 
hands,  even  the  silver  which  was  returned  in  the  mouth 
of  your  bags  take  back  in  your  hands ;  perhaps  it  was 
an  oversight.  And  take  your  brother,  and  arise,  return 
to  the  man  ;  and  God  the  Almighty  give  you  favour 
before  the  man,  that  he  may  release  to  you  your  other 
brother  and  Benjamin.  And  I,  when  desolated,  shall  be 
desolate  !  And  the  men  took  that  offering,  and  the 
money  two  for  one  took  they  in  their  hands ;  and  they 
took  Benjamin,  and  arose,  and  went  down  into  Mizraim, 
and  stood  before  Joseph.  And  Joseph  saw  Benjamin 
with  them  ;  and  he  said  to  him  who  was  appointed  over 
his  house,  Bring  the  men  into  the  house,  and  kill  a 
killing9  and  prepare;  for  the  men  shall  eat  with  me  at 
dinner.  And  the  man  did  as  Joseph  had  said;  and  the 
man  brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house.  And  the 

7  “  Our  generation.”  8  Medimsliabach.  Sam.  Vers.,  “  celebrated.” 

9  Or,  “a  victim,”  niksatha. 


XLIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  137 

men  were  afraid  because  they  were  brought  into  the 
house  of  Joseph ;  and  said,  It  is  on  account  of  the 
money  that  was  returned  in  our  baggage  at  first,  that 
we  are  brought  in,  that  he  might  domineer  over  us,10 
and  find  occasion  against  us,  and  take  possession  of  us 
as  slaves,  and  seize  upon  our  asses.  And  they  drew 
near  the  man  who  was  set  over  Joseph’s  house,  and 
spake  with  him  at  the  gate  of  the  house,  and  said.  We 
entreat  my  lord  (to  hear  us).  Descending  we  came 
down  at  first  to  buy  corn.  And  it  was  while  we  were 
at  the  resting-place,  we  opened  our  baggage,  and, 
behold,  a  man's  silver  was  in  the  mouth  of  the  bag;  the 
silver  in  its  weight.  But  we  have  returned  it  in  our 
hand.  And  other  silver  have  we  brought  in  our  hand 
to  buy  corn.  We  knew  not  who  put  the  silver  in  our 
baggage.  And  he  said,  Peace  be  to  you:  fear  not; 
your  God,  and  the  God  of  your  father,  gave  you  trea¬ 
sure  in  your  bags ;  your  money  came  to  me.  And  he 
brought  out  Shemeon  to  them.  And  the  man  brought 
the  men  into  Joseph's  house,  and  gave  water,  and  they 
washed  their  feet,  and  he  gave  provender  for  their  asses. 
And  they  made  ready  the  offering  against  the  entrance 
of  Joseph  to  dinner  :  for  they  had  heard  that  there  they 
were  to  eat  bread.  And  Joseph  entered  the  house, 
and  they  brought  to  him  the  offering  which  was  in  their 
hands  into  the  house ;  and  they  bowed  to  him  upon  the 
ground.  And  he  saluted  them,11  and  said.  Is  your  father 
well,  the  old  man  you  spake  of  ?  Is  he  yet  alive  ?  And 
they  said.  It  is  well  with  thy  servant  our  father,  he  is 
yet  alive ;  and  they  bowed  and  worshipped.  And  he 
lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  Benjamin  his  brother,  the 
son  of  his  mother ;  and  he  said,  Is  this  your  youngest 
brother  of  whom  you  spake  to  me  ?  And  he  said, 

10  Sam.  Vers.,  “lord  it  over  us.” 

11  Lit.,  “  asked  for  their  peace.” 


138  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Mercy  from  the  Lord  be  upon  thee,  my  son.1  And 
Joseph  made  haste,  for  his  bowels  were  commoved  over 
his  brother,  and  he  sought  (where)  to  weep ;  and  he 
entered  into  the  chamber,  the  place  of  sleeping,  and 
wept  there.  And  he  washed  his  face,  and  came  out, 
and  was  comforted,  and  said,  Put  on  bread ;  and  they 
set  for  him  alone,  and  for  them  alone,  and  for  the 
Mizraee  who  ate  with  him,  alone.  Por  the  Mizraee 
might  not  eat  bread  with  the  Hivraee,  because  the  ani¬ 
mals  that  the  Mizraee  worshipped  the  Hivraee  did  eat. 
And  they  reclined  before  him,  the  chief  according  to 
his  chiefship,  and  the  less  according  to  his  minority ; 
and  the  men  wondered,  each  man  at  his  companion. 
And  portions  were  brought  from  him,  and  set  before 
them,  and  greater  was  Benjamin's  portion  than  the  por¬ 
tions  of  them  all,  five  portions.  And  they  drank  and 
were  merry  with  him.2 

XL1Y.  And  Joseph  commanded  the  steward  of  his 
house,  saying,  Fill  the  men's  bags  with  corn  as  much 
as  they  can  carry,  and  put  each  man's  money  in  the 
mouth  of  his  baggage.  And  put  my  cup,  the  silver 
cup,  in  the  mouth  of  the  youngest  one's  baggage,  and 
his  purchase-money.  And  he  did  according  to  Joseph's 
word  which  he  spake.  The  morning  lightened,  and  the 
men  were  sent  away,  they  and  their  asses.  They  had 
not  gone  far  from  the  city,  when  Joseph  said  to  him 
who  was  set  over  his  house,  Arise,  follow  after  the  men, 
and  overtake  them,  and  say  to  them,  Why  have  you 
rendered  evil  for  good  ?  Is  it  not  this  from  which  my 
lord  drinketh,  and,  behold,  by  which  inquiring  he 
inquireth  ? 3  You  have  done  the  thing  that  is  evil. 
And  he  overtook  them,  and  spake  with  them  these 

1  Sain.  Vers.,  “  Elohim  be  propitious  to  thee,  my  son.” 

2  Lit.,  “  were  drunken.”  Sam.  Vers.,  “  were  heavy.” 

3  Budaqa  mebadiq. 


XLIY.]  ON  GENESIS.  139 

words.  And  they  said,  Why  does  my  lord  speak  these 
words  ?  Be  it  far  from  thy  servants  to  do  according  to 
this  thing  !  Behold,  the  money  which  we  found  in  the 
mouth  of  our  baggages  we  brought  to  thee  again  from 
the  land  of  Kenaan ;  how  then  should  we  steal  from  the 
house  of  thy  lord  vessels  of  silver,  or  vessels  of  gold  ? 
With  whomsoever  of  thy  servants  it  is  found,  let  him 
die;  and  we  also  will  be  servants  to  my  lord.  And  he 
said,  According  to  your  words,  so  let  it  be.  With 
whomsoever  it  is  found,  he  shall  be  my  servant,  but  you 
will  be  acquitted.  And  they  made  haste,  and  brought 
down  every  man  his  baggage  to  the  ground ;  and  every 
man  opened  his  baggage.  And  he  searched,  beginning 
with  the  greatest  and  finishing  with  the  least ;  and  the 
chalice  was  found  in  the  baggage  of  Benjamin.  And 
they  rent  their  clothes,  and  laded  every  man  his  ass, 
and  returned  to  the  city.  And  Jehuda  entered  and 
his  brothers  into  Joseph's  house,  for  he  was  still  there; 
and  they  fell  before  him  on  the  ground.  And  Joseph 
said  to  them,  What  work  is  this  which  you  have  done  ? 
Did  you  not  know  that  a  man  like  me  divining  can 
divine?  And  Jehuda  said  to  him.  What  shall  we  say 
to  my  lord  ?  What  shall  we  speak  ?  How  shall  we  be 
justified?  Before  the  lord  there  is  sin  found  in  thy 
servants.  Behold,  we  are  the  servants  of  my  lord; 
we  also  and  he  in  whose  hand  the  chalice  hath  been 
found.  But  he  said,  Bar  be  it  from  me  to  do  so  :  the 
man  in  whose  hand  the  chalice  has  been  found  shall  be 
my  servant ;  but  go  you  up  in  peace  to  your  father. 


140 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 


SECTION  XI. 

YAYIGGASH  ALAIF  YEHUDAH. 

And  Jehuda  came  near  to  him  and  said,  We  beseech 
my  lord,  let  thy  servant  speak  a  word  before  my  lord, 
and  let  not  thine  anger  be  great  with  thy  servant ;  for 
as  Pharoh  so  art  thou.  My  lord  asked  his  servants, 
saying,  Have  you  a  father  or  a  brother  ?  And  we  told 
my  lord.  We  have  an  aged  father,  and  the  youngest 
(son)  is  the  son  of  his  old  age;  his  brother  is  dead; 
and  he  only  remains  of  his  mother,  and  his  father  loves 
him.  And  thou  saidst  to  thy  servants,  Bring  him 
down  to  me,  and  let  me  set  mine  eyes  upon  him.  And 
we  told  my  lord,  His  father  cannot  part  with  the  youth ; 
for  if  our  father  should  part  with  him,  he  would  die. 
And  thou  saidst  to  thy  servants,  If  your  youngest 
brother  come  not  down  with  you,  you  shall  not  see  my 
face  again.  And  it  was  when  we  had  gone  up  to  our 
father,  we  told  him  these  words  of  my  lord.  And  our 
father  said  to  us,  Return,  and  buy  us  a  little  corn.  And 
we  said,  We  cannot  go  down  :  if  our  youngest  brother  go 
down  with  us,  we  will  go  down ;  for  we  shall  not  be 
able  to  see  the  man’s  face  unless  our  youngest  brother 
go  down  with  us.  And  thy  servant  our  father  said  to 
us.  You  know  that  my  wife  bare  me  two  (sons).  One 
went  forth  from  me,  and  I  have  said,  Dying  he  is  dead ; 
and  I  have  not  beheld  him  since.  And  if  you  take 
this  one  also  from  me,  and  deatli  happen  to  him,  you 
will  bring  down  my  age  with  evil  unto  sheol.  And 
now,  when  I  come  to  thy  servant  my  father,  and  the 
youth  be  not  with  us,  and  his  soul  loveth  him  as  his 
(own)  soul ;  when  he  seeth  that  the  youth  is  not  with 
us,  he  will  die ;  and  thy  servant  will  have  brought  down 


ON  GENESIS. 


141 


XLV.] 


the  age  of  thy  servant  our  father  with  mourning  unto 
Sheol.  For  thy  servant  was  surety  for  the  youth  with  our 
father,  saying,  If  I  bring  him  not  to  thee,  let  my  father 
hold  me  guilty  all  the  days.  And  now  let  thy  servant 
remain  instead  of  the  youth,  as  the  servant  of  my  lord, 
and  let  the  youth  go  up  with-  his  brothers.  For  how 
can  I  go  up  to  my  father,  and  the  youth  be  not  with 
me  ? — lest  I  should  see  the  evil  that  will  come  upon  my 
father ! 

XLY.  And  Joseph  was  not  able  to  sustain  all  that 
was  being  upon  him ;  and  he  cried,  Let  every  man  go 
out  from  me  ;  and  no  man  stood  with  him,  while  J oseph 
made  himself  known  to  his  brethren.  And  he  gave 
forth  his  voice  with  weeping ;  and  the  Mizraee  heard, 
and  a  man  of  PharolFs  house  heard.  And  Joseph  said 
to  his  brothers,  I  am  Joseph !  Is  my  father  yet  living? 
And  his  brethren  were  not  able  to  answer  him  a  word, 
for  they  were  confounded  before  him.  And  Joseph  said 
to  his  brothers,  Come  near  now  to  me.  And  they 
came  near.  And  he  said,  I  am  Joseph  your  brother, 
whom  you  sold  into  Mizraim.  And  now  do  not  be 
troubled,4  and  let  it  not  be  afflictive  in  your  eyes  that 
you  sold  me  hither ;  for  to  sustain  life  did  the  Lord 
send  me  before  you.  For  these  two  years  hath  famine 
been  in  the  land,  and  there  are  yet  five  years  in  which 
there  will  be  neither  seed  nor  harvest.  And  the  Lord 
sent  me  before  you  to  set  a  remnant  in  the  earth,  and 
to  keep  you  alive  by  a  great  deliverance.  And  now,  it 
was  not  you  who  sent  me  hither,  but  (it  was)  from 
before  the  Lord,  who  hath  set  me  to  be  a  father 5  unto 
Pharoh,  and  to  rule  all  the  men  of  his  house,  holding 
power  over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  Hasten,  (then,) 
and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  to  him,  Thus  saith  thy 
son  Joseph,  The  Lord  hath  set  me  ruler  over  the 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “be  not  afflicted.”  5  Sam.  Vers.,  “a  friend.” 


142  TAItGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Mizraim  :  come  clown  to  me,  delay 6  not,  and  thous  halt 
dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  and  be  near  me,  thou,  and 
thy  sons,  and  thy  sons'  children,  and  thy  sheep  and  thy 
oxen,  and  all  that  thou  hast.  And  I  will  nourish  thee 7 
there ;  for  there  are  yet  five  years  of  famine,  lest  thou, 
and  the  men  of  thy  house,  and  all  that  thou  hast,  be 
wasted  away.  And,  behold,  your  eyes  see,  and  the 
eyes  of  my  brother  Benjamin,  that  in  your  language  I 
speak  with  you.  And  you  will  show  my  father  all  my 
glory  in  Mizraim,  and  all  that  you  see ;  and  make 
haste,  and  bring  down  my  father  hither.  And  he  fell 
upon  the  neck  of  Benjamin  his  brother,  and  wept ;  and 
Benjamin  wept  upon  his  neck.  And  he  kissed  all  his 
brothers,  and  wept  over  them ;  and  afterward  his  bro¬ 
thers  discoursed  with  him.  And  a  voice  was  heard  in 
the  house  of  Pharoh,  saying.  The  brothers  of  Joseph 
are  come.  And  it  was  pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  Pharoh, 
and  in  the  eyes  of  his  servants.  And  Pharoh  said  to 
Joseph,  Tell  my  brethren,  Do  this ;  lade  your  beasts 
and  go ;  carry  into  the  land  of  Kenaan ;  and  take 
your  father  and  the  men  of  your  house  and  come  to 
me,  and  I  will  give  you  the  good  of  the  land  of  Miz¬ 
raim,  and  you  shall  eat  the  good  of  the  land.  And 
(now)  thou  art  commanded,  this  do.  Take  to  you  out 
of  the  land  of  Mizraim  waggons  for  your  children,  and 
your  wives ;  and  bring  your  father,  and  come.  And  let 
not  your  eye  look  wistfully  upon  your  furniture ;  for  the 
good  of  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  is  your  own.  And  the 
sons  of  Israel  did  so ;  and  Joseph  gave  them  waggons, 
according  to  the  word  of  Pharoh,  and  he  gave  them 
provisions  for  the  way.  And  he  gave  to  every  one  of 
them  vestments  for  wearing ;  and  to  Benjamin  gave  he 
three  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and  five  vestments  for 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  stand  not.” 

7  Sain.  Vers.,  “  I  will  give  thee  sufficiency.” 


XLVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  143 

wearing.  And  to  his  father  he  sent  ten  asses  laden 
with  the  good  things  of  Mizraim,  and  ten  she-asses 
laden  with  corn,  and  bread  and  provisions  for  the  way. 
And  he  dismissed  his  brethren,  and  they  went,  and  he 
said  to  them,  Do  not  contend  by  the  way.  And  they 
went  up  from  Mizraim  and  came  into  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  unto  Jakob  their  father.  And  they  showed 
him,  saying,  Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and  he  ruleth  over  all 
the  land  of  Mizraim !  And  these  words  were  uncertain 8 
upon  his  heart,  because  he  did  not  believe  them.  And 
they  told  him  all  the  words  of  Joseph  which  he  had 
spoken  with  them ;  and  he  saw  the  waggons  that 
Joseph  had  sent  to  fetch  him;  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
rested  upon  Jakob  their  father.  And  Israel  said.  Great 
to  me  is  the  joy  !  Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive  ;  I  will 
go,  and  behold  him  before  I  die. 

XLVI.  And  Israel  journeyed,  and  all  that  he  had, 
and  came  to  Beershava;  and  he  offered  sacrifices  to  the 
God  of  his  father  Izhak.  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Israel 
in  a  vision  of  the  night,  and  said,  Jakob,  Jakob.  And 
he  said,  Behold,  I  am.  And  He  said,  I  am  God,  the 
God  of  thy  father  :  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Mizraim ; 
for  a  great  people  will  I  make  thee  there.  I  will  go 
down  with  thee  into  Mizraim,  and  will  surely  bring 
thee  up ;  but  Joseph  shall  lay  his  hand  upon  thine  eyes. 
And  Jakob  arose  from  Beershava.  And  the  sons  of 
Israel  carried  Jakob  their  father,  and  their  children, 
and  their  wives,  in  the  waggons  which  Pharoh  had  sent 
to  fetch  them.  And  they  took  their  flocks  and  their 
substance  which  they  had  gotten  in  the  land  of  Kenaan, 
and  came  to  Mizraim,  Jakob  and  all  his  sons  with  him. 
His  sons,  and  his  son's  sons  with  him,  his  daughters, 
and  the  daughters  of  his  sons,  and  all  his  seed,  he 
brought  with  him  into  Mizraim. 

*  Or,  “faint.” 


144  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

And  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel  which 
came  into  Mizraim,  Jakob  and  his  sons.  The  firstborn 
of  Jakob,  Reuben.  And  the  sons  of  Reuben,  IJanuk 
and  Phallu,  Hesron  and  Karmi.  And  the  sons  of 
Sheemon,  Jemuel,  and  Janin,  and  Ahad,  and  Jakin,  and 
Zochar,  and  Shaul,  the  son  of  a  Kenaanitha.  And  the 
sons  of  Levi,  Gershon,  Kehath,  and  Merari.  And  the 
sons  of  Jehuda,  Er,  and  Onan,  and  Shelah,  and  Pharets, 
and  Zarach.  But  Er  and  Onan  had  died  in  the  land 
of  Kenaan.  And  the  sons  of  Pharets,  Heshron  and 
Chamul.  And  the  sons  of  Issakar,  Tola,  and  Pheua, 
and  Job,  and  Semeron.  And  the  sons  of  Zabulon, 
Sered,  and  Elon,  and  Jahleel.  These  are  the  sons  of 
Leah,  which  she  bare  to  Jakob  in  Padan  Aram,  and 
Dinah  his  daughter ;  all  the  souls,  his  sons  and  his 
daughters,  thirty  and  three.  And  the  children  of  Gad, 
Sephyon  and  Haggi,  Shuni  and  Ezbon,  Eri,  and  Arodi, 
and  Areli.  And  the  sons  of  Asher,  Jemna,  and  Jesva, 
and  Jesvi,  and  Beriah,  and  Serach,  their  sister.  And 
the  sons  of  Beriah,  Heber  and  Malchiel.  These  are  the 
sons  of  Zilpha,  whom  Laban  gave  to  Leah  his  daughter; 
and  she  bare  these  unto  Jakob,  sixteen  souls.  The 
sons  of  Rahel,  the  wife  of  Jakob,  Joseph  and  Benjamin. 
And  to  Joseph  were  born  in  the  land  of  Mizraim 
Menashe  and  Ephraim,  whom  Asenath,  daughter  of 
Potiphera,  prince  of  On,  bare  unto  him.  And  the  sons 
of  Benjamin,  Bela,  and  Bek  or,  and  Ashbel,  Gera,  and 
Naaman,  Achi,  and  Rosh,  Muppim,  and  Huphim,  and 
Arede.  These  are  the  sons  of  Rahel  which  were  born 
to  Jakob;  all  the  souls  fourteen.  And  the  sons  of 
Dan,  Hushim :  and  the  sons  of  Naphtali,  Jahziel, 
and  Guni,  and  Jezer,  and  Shilem.  These  are  the 
children  of  Billah,  whom  Laban  gave  to  Rahel  his 
daughter,  and  she  bare  them  to  Jakob ;  all  the  souls 
seven.  All  the  souls  which  went  with  Jakob  into 


XLVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  145 

Mizraim,  which  came  forth  from  his  loins,  besides  the 
wives  of  Jakob's  sons,  all  the  souls,  sixty  and  six.  And 
the  sons  of  Joseph,  which  were  born  to  him  in  Mizraim, 
two  souls.  All  the  souls  of  the  house  of  Jakob  which 
went  into  Mizraim  were  seventy. 

And  he  sent  Jehuda  before  him  to  Joseph,  to  make 
the  way  clear  before  him  at  Goshen,  and  he  came  to 
the  land  of  Goshen.  And  Joseph  arrayed  his  chariot, 
and  went  up  to  meet  Israel  his  father  in  Goshen.  And 
he  saw  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck,  and  wept.  And  he 
wept  still  upon  his  neck  !  And  Israel  said  to  J oseph,  I 
could  die  at  this  time  !  I  have  consolation  now  that  I 
have  seen  thy  face ;  for  thou  art  yet  alive.  And  Joseph 
said  to  his  brothers,  and  to  the  house  of  his  father,  I 
will  go  up  and  show  Pharoh,  and  will  tell  him.  My 
brethren  and.  the  house  of  my  father,  who  were  in  the 
land  of  Kenaan,  have  come  to  me.  But  the  men  are 
shepherds  of  sheep  :  for  the  men  are  masters  of  flocks, 
and  their  sheep  and  oxen  and  all  that  they  have  they 
have  brought.  And  it  shall  be  when  Pharoh  calleth 
you,  and  shall  ask  you,  What  is  your  employment  ?  you 
will  say,  Thy  servants  have  been  men,  the  masters  of 
flocks  from  our  youth  until  now ;  both  we  and  our 
fathers :  that  you  may  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen ; 
because  the  Mizraee  keep  at  a  distance  all  shepherds  of 
flocks. 

XLVII.  And  Joseph  came  and  showed  Pharoh,  and 
said.  My  father  and  my  brethren,  and  their  sheep  and 
their  oxen,  and  all  that  they  have,  are  come  from  the 
land  of  Kenaan,  and,  behold,  they  are  in  the  land  of 
Goshen.  And  of  the  extreme 9  of  his  brethren  he  took 
five  men,  and  made  them  stand  before  Pharoh.  And 
Pharoh  said  to  his  brethren.  What  are  your  employ¬ 
ments  ?  And  they  said  to  Pharoh,  Thy  servants  are 

9  Of  the  entire  number  comprised  between  the  first  and  last  ? 

H 


146  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

shepherds  ;  both  we  and  our  fathers.  And  they  said  to 
Pharoh,  To  dwell  in  the  land  are  we  come,  for  there  is 
no  pasture  for  thy  servants'  flocks  ;  for  the  famine  pre¬ 
vails  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  we  pray  thee  let  thy 
servants  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen.  And  Pharoh 
spake  to  Joseph,  saying,  Thy  father  and  thy  brethren 
are  come  to  thee ;  the  land  of  Mizraim  is  before  thee, 
in  the  best  of  it  let  thy  father  and  thy  brethren  dwell, 
(even)  in  the  land  of  Goshen :  and  if  thou  know  any 
of  them  to  be  men  of  ability,  appoint  them  to  be  chiefs 
over  my  flocks.  And  Joseph  brought  Jakob  his  father, 
and  presented  him  before  Pharoh  :  and  Jakob  blessed 
Pharoh.  And  Pharoh  said  to  Jakob,  How  many  are 
the  days  of  the  years  of  thy  life  ?  And  Jakob  said  to 
Pharoh,  The  days  of  the  years  of  my  pilgrimage  are  a 
hundred  and  thirty  years.  Pew  and  evil  have  been  the 
days  of  the  years  of  my  life,  and  I  have  not  attained  to 
the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life  of  my  fathers,  in  the 
days  of  their  pilgrimage.  And  Jakob  blessed  Pharoh, 
and  went  out  from  before  Pharoh.  And  Joseph  made 
his  father  and  his  brethren  to  dwell,  and  gave  them  a 
possession  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  in  the  best  of  the 
land,  in  the  land  of  Ramesis,  as  Pharoh  had  com¬ 
manded.  And  Joseph  sustained1  his  father  and  his 
brethren,  and  all  the  house  of  his  father,  with  bread, 
according  to  the  mouth  of  the  family  (of  each).  And 
there  was  no  bread  in  all  the  land ;  for  the  famine  pre¬ 
vailed  greatly,  and  the  people  of  the  land  of  Mizraim 
and  the  people  of  the  land  of  Kenaan  failed  before  the 
famine.  And  J oseph  collected  all  the  money  which  was 
found  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  and  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  for  the  corn  which  they  bought.  And  Joseph 
brought  the  money  into  the  house  of  Pharoh.  And 
the  money  wras  finished  from  the  land  of  Mizraim  and 
1  Sam.  Vers.,  "sufficiently  fed.” 


XLYII.]  ON  GENESIS.  147 

from  the  land  of  TCenaan  ;  and  all  the  Mizraee  came  to 
Joseph,  saying,  Give  us  bread :  for  why  should  we  die 
before  thee?  for  the  money  is  finished.  And  Joseph 
said,  Bring  your  cattle,  and  I  will  give  you  provision, 
if  your  money  is  finished.  And  they  brought  their 
cattle  to  Joseph,  and  Joseph  gave  them  bread  for  their 
horses,  and  for  their  flocks  of  sheep,  and  for  their  herds 
of  oxen,  and  for  their  asses,  and  for  all  their  cattle ;  he 
fed 3  them  with  bread  for  that  year.  And  that  year  was 
completed ;  and  they  came  to  him  in  the  second  year, 
and  said  to  him,  We  will  not  conceal  it  from  our  lord, 
but  the  money  is  ended,  and  (we  have  delivered  up)  our 
cattle  to  our  lord,  and  there  is  nothing  left  before  our 
lord  but  our  bodies  and  our  land.  Why  should  we 
perish  before  thee,  both  we  and  our  land  ?  Buy  us  and 
our  land  for  bread,  and  we  and  our  land  will  be  servants 
to  Pharoh,  and  give  us  seed  corn,  that  we  may  live  and 
not  die,  and  the  land  may  not  be  desolate.  And  Joseph 
acquired  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  for  Pharoh ;  for  the 
Mizraee  sold  every  man  his  portion,  because  the  famine 
prevailed  over  them,  and  the  land  became  Pharotr’s. 
And  the  people  he  made  him  3  to  pass  from  city  to  city, 
from  one  end  of  the  limit  of  Mizraim  to  the  other. 
Only  the  land  of  the  priests  he  did  not  buy ;  for  a 
portion  (was  given)  by  Pharoh  to  the  priests  :  and  they 
ate  their  portion  which  Pharoh  gave  them;  therefore 
they  sold  not  their  land.  And  Joseph  said  to  the 
people,  Behold,  I  have  bought  you  this  day  and  your 
land  for  Pharoh.  Behold,  (I  give)  you  seed  corn,  that 
you  may  sow  the  land.  And  it  shall  be,  when  it 
bringeth  forth  produce,  that  you  shall  give  one  in  five 
to  Pharoh,  and  four  parts  shall  be  yours,  of  the  corn 
of  the  field,  that  you  and  the  men  of  your  house  may 

2  Sam.  Vers.,  “  he  allotted  them  bread.” 

8  Thus  literally  following  the  Hebrew. 

H  2 


148  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

eat,  and  your  little  ones  have  food.  And  they  said, 
Thou  hast  preserved  us ;  may  we  find  grace  in  the 
eyes  of  my  lord,  and  we  will  be  the  servants  of  Pharoh. 
And  Joseph  made  it  a  statute  unto  this  day  over  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  that  one  of  five  should  be  given  to 
Pharoh;  only  the  land  of  the  priests  alone  was  not 
Pharoh's.  And  Israel  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  in 
the  .land  of  Goshen,  and  possessed  it :  and  they  in¬ 
creased  and  multiplied  greatly. 


SECTION  XII. 

YAYECHI. 

And  Jakob  lived  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  seventeen 
years.  And  the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life  of  Jakob 
were  a  hundred  and  forty  and  seven  years.  And  the 
days  of  Israel  drew  near  to  die.  And  he  called  to  his 
son,  to  Joseph,  and  said  to  him,  If  now  I  have  found 
favour  in  thine  eyes,  put,  I  beseech  thee,  thine  hand 
under  my  thigh,  and  deal  with  me  in  goodness  and 
truth ;  nor  bury  me,  I  beseech  thee,  in  Mizraim ;  but  I 
will  sleep  with  my  fathers;  and  thou  shalt  carry  me 
from  Mizraim,  and  bury  me  in  their  sepulchre.  And  he 
said,  I  will  do  according  to  thy  word.  And  he  said. 
Swear  to  me;  and  he  sware  to  him.  And  Israel 
worshipped  upon  the  pillow 4  of  the  bed. 

XLVIII.  And  it  was  after  these  words  that  it  was 
said  to  Joseph,  Behold,  thy  father  is  ill.  And  he  took 
his  two  sons  with  him,  Menashe  and  Ephraim.  And  it 
was  shown  to  Jakob,  and  told  (him,)  Behold,  thy  son 

4  Al  risk  harsa,  “  upon  the  head  of  the  bed.” 


OK  GENESIS. 


149 


XLV1I1.] 

Joseph  cometh  to  thee.  And  Israel  was  strengthened,5 
and  he  sat  upon  the  bed.  And  Jakob  said  to  Joseph, 
El  Shadai  revealed  Himself  to  me  in  Luz,  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  and  blessed  me ;  and  He  said  to  me,  Behold,  I 
will  multiply  thee,  and  make  thee  great,  and  will  set 
thee  for  an  assembly  of  tribes,  and  will  give  this  land  to 
thy  sons  after  thee  for  an  everlasting  inheritance.  And 
now  thy  two  sons  which  were  born  to  thee  in  the  land 
of  Mizraim,  before  my  coming  to  thee  into  Mizraim,  are 
mine;  Ephraim  and  Menashe  shall  be  as  Reuben  and 
Shimeon  before  me.  And  the  children  whom  thou  mayest 
beget  after  them,  who  shall  be  thine,  after  the  name  of 
their  brethren  they  shall  be  called  in  their  inheritance.6 
And  I,  in  my  coming  from  Padan,  Rahel  died  by  me  in 
the  land  of  Kenaan,  in  the  way,  while  as  yet  there  was  a 
space  of  ground  to  come  unto  Ephrath.  And  I  buried 
her  there,  by  the  way  to  Ephrath,  which  is  Bethlehem. 
Aqjd  Israel  saw  the  sons  of  Joseph,  and  said,  Who  are 
these?  And  Joseph  said  to  his  father.  They  are  my 
sons  whom  the  Lord  hath  given  me  here.  And  he 
said,  Bring  them  now  near  to  me,  that  I  may  bless 
them.  But  the  eyes  of  Israel  were  heavy  from  age,  and 
he  could  not  discern.  And  he  brought  them  near  to 
him,  and  he  kissed  them,  and  embraced  them.  And 
Israel  said  to  Joseph,  I  had  not  hoped  7  to  see  thy  face, 
and,  behold,  the  Lord  hath  showed  me  thy  sons  also. 
And  Joseph  led  them  from  before  him,  and  worshipped 
with  his  face  on  the  earth.  And  Joseph  took  both  of 
them,  Ephraim  in  his  right  hand,  on  the  left  of  Israel, 
and  Menashe  in  his  left  hand,  on  the  right  of  Israel, 
and  brought  them  to  him.  And  Israel  stretched  out 
his  right  hand,  and  laid  it  on  the  head  of  Ephraim,  who 
was  the  younger ;  and  his  left  hand  on  the  head  of 

5  Sara.  Vers.,  "strengthened  himself.” 

6  Sara.  Vers.,  “  in  their  divisions.”  7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  prayed.” 


150  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Menashe,  using  his  hands  designingly ;  (or,  instructing 
his  hands ;)  for  Menashe  was  the  first-born.  And  he 
blessed  Joseph,  and  said.  The  Lord,  before  whom  my 
fathers  Abraham  and  Izhak  did  serve ;  the  Lord,  who 
fed  me  from  my  coming8  unto  this  day;  the  Angel 
who  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  youths ;  and 
let  my  name  be  called  upon  them,  and  the  name  of  my 
fathers  Abraham  and  Izhak ;  and  as  the  fish  of  the  sea 
may  they  multiply  9  among  the  children  of  men  upon 
the  earth  !  And  Joseph  saw  that  his  father  laid  his 
right  hand  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim  ;  and  it  was  evil 
in  his  eyes.  And  he  uplifted  his  father's  hand,  to 
remove  it  from  Ephraim's  head,  that  it  might  rest  on 
the  head  of  Menashe.  And  Joseph  said  to  his  father, 
Not  so,  my  father ;  for  this  is  the  first-born :  lay  thy  right 
hand  on  his  head.  But  his  father  willed  not,  and  said, 
I  know,  my  son,  I  know  :  he  also  shall  be  for  a  people, 
and  he  also  shall  be  great ;  yet  his  younger  brother  will 
be  greater  than  he,  and  his  sons  shall  have  dominion 
among  the  nations.  And  he  blessed  them  in  that  day,, 
saying,  By  thee  shall  Israel  bless,  saying,  The  Lord  set 
thee  as  Ephraim  and  as  Menashe.  And  he  set  Ephraim 
before  Menashe.  And  Israel  said  to  Joseph,  Behold,  I 
die ;  but  the  Word  of  the  Lord  will  be  your  Helper, 
and  restore  you  to  the  land  of  your  fathers.  And  I 
will  give  thee  one  portion  more  than  thy  brethren, 
which  I  took  from  the  hand  of  the  Amoraah  by  my 
prayer  and  by  my  deprecation. 

XLIX.  And  Jacob  called  his  sons,  and  said.  Gather 
together,  and  I  will  show  you  what  will  befall  you  in 
the  end  of  the  days ;  assemble,  and  hearken,  O  sons  of 
Jakob,  and  receive  instruction  from  Israel  your  father. 
Reuben,  thou  art  my  first-born,  my  strength,  and  the 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “from  the  house  of  my  nativity.” 

*  Sam.  Vers.,  “be  spread  abroad.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


151 


XLIX.] 


beginning  of  my  power.1 2  Thine  should  it  have  been 
taking  to  take  the  three  portions, — the  birthright,  the 
priesthood,  and  the  kingdom :  but  because  thou  hast 
proceeded  perversely,8  behold,  as  water  outpoured  thou 
wilt  not  prosper,  neither  wilt  thou  receive  the  excellent 
portion ;  because  thou  wentest  up  to  thy  father's  place 
of  sleep  :  then,  my  son,  didst  thou  become  profane, 
when  thou  wentest  up  to  my  bed. 

Shimeon  and  Levi  are  brothers;  mighty  men  in 
the  land  of  their  sojourning,  they  did  mightily.3  My 
soul  was  not  in  their  secret;  into  their  company  to 
come  I  would  not  have  descended  from  mine  honour. 
For  in  their  anger  they  slew  a  slaughter,  and  in  their 
wilfulness  they  razed  the  wall  of  their  enemy.  Ac¬ 
cursed  4  was  their  anger,  for  it  was  strong,  and  their 
wrath,  for  it  was  relentless.  I  will  divide  them  in 
Jakob,  and  I  will  scatter  them  in  Israel. 

Jebuda,  thou  art  praise  and  not  shame ;  thy  brethren 
shall  praise  thee ; 5  thy  hand  shall  prevail  against  thine 
adversaries,  thine  enemies  shall  be  dispersed ;  they  will 
be  turned  backward  before  thee,  and  the  sons  of  thy 
father  will  come  before  thee  with  salutations.  The 
dominion  shall  be  (thine)  in  the  beginning,  and  in  the 
end  the  kingdom  shall  be  increased  from  the  house  of 
Jehuda,  because  from  the  judgment  of  death,  my  son, 
hast  thou  withdrawn.6  He  shall  repose,  and  abide  in 
strength  as  a  lion,  and  as  a  lioness,  there  shall  be 
no  king  that  may  cut  him  off.  He  who  exerciseth 
dominion  shall  not  pass  away  from  the  house  of  Jehuda, 
nor  the  saphra  from  his  children's  children  for  ever, 


1  Sam.  Ver9.,  “  the  beginning  of  my  time.” 

2  Or,  “  proceeded  deceitfully.”  Azalta  lakabel  appeka. 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “they  accomplished  the  fraud  of  their  covenant.” 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  proud.”  *  Sam.  Vers.,  “  love  thee.” 

6  Or,  “  gone  up.” 


152  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

until  the  Meshiha  come,  whose  is  the  kingdom,  and 
unto  whom  shall  be  the  obedience  of  the  nations  (or, 
whom  the  peoples  shall  obey).  Israel  shall  pass  round 
about  in  his  cities ;  the  people  shall  build  his  temple, 
they  will  be  righteous  round  about  him,  and  be  doers 
of  the  law  through  his  doctrine.  Of  goodly  purple  will 
be  his  raiment,  and  his  vesture  of  crimson  wool  with 
colours.7  His  mountains  shall  be  red  with  his  vine¬ 
yards,  and  his  hills  be  dropping  with  wine ;  his 
valleys  shall  be  white  with  corn,  and  with  flocks  of 
sheep. 

Zebulon  will  dwell  nigh  the  haven  of  the  sea ;  he  will 
subdue  provinces  with  ships,  and  will  eat  the  good  of 
the  sea,  and  his  boundary  shall  come  unto  Sidon. 

Issakar,8  rich  in  substance,  will  have  his  heritage 
between  the  boundaries;  and  he,  seeing  his  portion 
that  it  is  good,  and  the  land  that  it  is  fruit-bearing,9 
will  subdue  the  provinces  of  the  people,  and  disperse 
their  inhabitants,  and  they  who  remain  of  them  will 
become  servants  to  him  and  bringers  of  tribute. 

From  the  house  of  Dan  will  be  chosen  and  will  arise 
a  man  in  whose  days  his  people  shall  be  delivered,  and 
in  whose  years  the  tribes  of  Israel  have  rest  together. 
A  chosen  man  will  arise  from  the  house  of  Dan,  the 
terror  of  whom  shall  fall  upon  the  peoples ;  (a  man) 
who  will  smite  the  Philistines  with  strength,  as  the 
serpent,  the  deadly  serpent,1  lurking 9  by  the  way,  he 
will  slay  the  mighty  of  the  Philistines'  host,  the  horse¬ 
men  with  the  foot ;  he  will  weaken  (loosen)  the  horses 

7  Or,  “  wool  dyed  bright  with  colours.” 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  Issakar,  an  ass  sojourning,  lying  down  between  two 
burdens.” 

*  Sam.  Vers.,  “  fat.” 

1  Churman :  “  species  serpentis  ad  cujus  morsum  nulla  est  medicinal 
— Castel.  Root,  charem ,  “  to  devote  to  destruction,” 

2  Sam.  Vers.,  “  erecting  itself.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


XLIX.] 


153 


and  chariots,  and  throw  their  riders  backward.  For 
thy  salvation  have  I  waited,  0  Lord  ! 

From  the  house  of  Gad  will  armed  hosts  go  over  the 
Jardena  before  their  brethren  to  the  battle ;  and  with 
much  substance  will  they  return  unto  their  land. 

The  land  of  Asher  will  be  good  ;  and  he  shall  be 
nourished  with  the  dainties  of  kings. 

In  a  good  land  will  the  lot  of  Naphtali  be  cast,  and 
his  inheritance  be  fruitful ;  over  them  will  they  give 
praise  and  benediction.3 

Joseph  is  my  son  who  shall  increase,  my  son  who 
shall  be  blessed,  as  a  vine  planted  by  a  fountain  of 
vraters.  Two  tribes  will  come  forth  from  his  sons,  and 
they  shall  receive  a  portion  and  inheritance.  The 
mighty  men,  the  men  of  division,  were  bitter  against 
him ;  they  afflicted  him  and  sorely  grieved  him ;  and 
his  prophecy  shall  be  fulfilled  in  them,  because  he  was 
faithful  to  the  law  in  secret,  and  set  his  confidence 
firmly.  Therefore  wras  gold  laid  upon  his  arm,  and  the 
kingdom  was  strengthened  and  confirmed.  This  was  to 
him  from  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob,  who  by  His  Word 
pastureth  the  fathers  and  the  children  of  the  seed  of 
Israel.  The  Word  of  the  God  of  thy  father  shall  be 
thy  Helper,  and  the  All-Sufficient  shall  bless  thee,  with 
the  blessings  of  the  dew  that  descends  from  the  heavens 
above,  with  the  blessings  that  spring  from  the  depths 
of  the  earth  beneath,  with  the  blessings  of  thy  father 
and  of  thy  mother.  The  blessing  of  thy  father  shall  be 
added  upon  the  blessing  with  which  my  fathers  blessed 
me ;  which  the  princes  wTho  are  of  the  world  have 
desired  :  all  of  them  shall  be  upon  the  head  of  Joseph, 
and  upon  the  man  who  was  separated  from  his  brethren. 

Benjamin  :  in  his  land  will  dwell  the  Shekina,  and 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “Naphtali  is  a  hind  sent  forth,  giving  words  of 
freedom.” 

H  5 


154 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

in  his  possession  will  the  sanctuary  be  builded.  In  the 
morning  and  evening 4  will  the  priests  offer  the  obla¬ 
tion,  and  at  eventime  divide  the  remaining  portions  of 
the  residue  of  the  sacred  things. 

All  these  the  tribes  of  Israel  are  twelve  ;  and  this  it  is 
which  their  father  spake  to  them,  and  blessed  them ; 
according  to  the  blessing  of  each  man,  blessed  he  them. 
And  he  commanded  them,  and  said  to  them,  I  am  to  be 
gathered  unto  my  people ;  bury  me  with  my  fathers  in  the 
cavern  which  is  in  the  field  of  Ephron  the  Hitaah ;  in 
the  cavern  which  is  in  the  double  field  over  against 
Mamre,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  which  field  Abraham 
bought  of  Ephron  the  Hitaah  for  an  inheritance- 
sepulchre.  There  buried  they  Abraham  and  Sarah  his 
wife ;  there  buried  they  Izhak  and  Bevekah  his  wife ; 
and  there  buried  I  Leah.  The  field,  and  the  cavern 
that  is  in  it,  purchased  of  the  sons  of  Hitaah.  And 
Jakob  ceased  to  instruct  his  sons,  and  drew  his  feet 
together  in  the  bed,  and  died,  and  was  gathered  unto  his 
people. 

L.  And  Joseph  fell  upon  his  father's  face,  and  wept 
over  him,  and  kissed  him.  And  Joseph  commanded 
his  servants,  the  physicians,  to  embalm  his  father;  and 
the  physicians  embalmed  Israel.  And  forty  days  were 
completed  to  him ;  for  so  are  completed  the  days  of  the 
embalmed ;  and  the  Mizraee  mourned  for  him  seventy 
days.  And  the  days  of  his  mourning  passed  :  and 
Joseph  spake  with  the  house  of  Pharoh,  saying,  If  now 
I  have  found  favour  in  your  eyes,  speak,  I  pray,  before 
Pharoh,  saying,  My  father  adjured  me,  saying,  Behold, 
I  die ;  in  my  sepulchre  which  I  have  prepared  for  me  in 
the  land  of  Kenaan,  there  shalt  thou  bury  me.  And 
now  let  me  go  up,  I  pray,  and  I  will  bury  my  father 
and  return.  Aud  Pharoh  said,  Go  up  and  bury  thy 

4  Pania.  Conf.  the  Ethiopic  in  Caste l,  under  panu,  col.  3021. 


ON  GENESIS. 


155 


L.] 

father,  as  he  adjured  thee.  And  Joseph  went  up  to 
bury  his  father ;  and  all  the  servants  of  Pharoh,  the 
elders  of  his  house,  and  all  the  elders  of  the  land  of 
Mizraim,  went  up  with  him  ;  and  all  the  house  of  Joseph, 
and  his  brethren,  and  the  house  of  his  father  :  only  the 
children,  and  the  flocks,  and  the  cattle,  they  left  in  the 
land  of  Goshen.  And  with  him  went  up,  also,  chariots 
and  horsemen  ; 5  and  there  was  a  very  great  host.  And 
they  came  to  the  threshing-floor 6  of  Atad,  which  is 
beyond  Jardena,  and  lamented  there  with  lamentations 
great  and  very  strong.  And  he  made  a  mourning  for 
his  father  seven  days.  And  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
of  Kenaan  saw  the  mourning  at  the  threshing-floor 6  of 
Atad,  and  said.  This  is  a  mighty  mourning  of  the 
Mizraee ;  therefore  its  name  is  called  Abel  Mizraim ; 
which  is  beyond  Jardena.  And  his  sons  did  as  he  had 
commanded  them.  And  his  sons  carried  him  into  the 
land  of  Kenaan,  and  buried  him  in  the  cavern  of  the 
Double  Field,  which  Abraham  bought  for  an  inheritance- 
sepulchre  of  Ephron  the  Hitaah,  before  Mamre.  And 
Joseph  returned  into  Mizraim,  he  and  his  brethren,  and 
all  who  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his  father,  after  he 
had  buried  his  father.  And  the  brethren  of  Joseph 
saw  that  their  father  was  dead  ;  and  they  said,  Perhaps 
Joseph  will  retain  enmity  against  us,  and  requiting  will 
requite  us  all  the  evil  which  we  did  him.  And  they 
made  visitation  to  Joseph,  saying.  Thy  father  commanded 
before  his  death,  saying,  Thus  shall  you  speak  to  Joseph, 
I  pray  you  to  forgive  the  guilt  of  thy  brethren  and  their 
sin  wherewith  they  did  evil  against  thee.  And  now 
forgive,  I  beseech  thee,  the  guilt  of  the  servants  of  the 
God  of  thy  father.  And  Joseph  wept  when  they  spake 
with  him.  And  his  brethren  came  and  fell  before  him, 
and  said.  Behold,  we  are  thy  servants.  And  Joseph 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  footmen.”  6  “  The  house  of  barns.” 


156  TARGUM  O F  ONKELOS  ON  GENESIS.  [CHAP.  L. 

said  to  them,  Tear  not,  for  I  fear  the  Lord.  When  you 
thought  evil  against  me,  before  the  Lord  it  was  intended 
for  good,  to  be  done,  as  at  this  day,  for  the  preservation 
of  much  people.  And  now  do  not  fear;  I  will  sustain 
you  and  your  children.  And  he  consoled  them,  and 
spake  consolation  to  their  heart. 

And  Joseph  dwelt  in  Mizraim,  he  and  his  father's 
house.  And  Joseph  lived  an  hundred  and  ten  years. 
And  Joseph  saw  of  Ephraim  three  sons;  also  the  sons 
of  Makir,  the  son  of  Menashe,  were  born,  whom  Joseph 
brought  up. 

And  Joseph  said  to  his  brethren,  I  die;  but  the 
Lord  remembering  will  remember  you,  and  bring  you 
up  from  this  land  to  the  land  of  which  He  sware  to 
Abraham,  to  Izhak,  and  to  Jakob.  And  Joseph  adjured 
the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  The  Lord  remembering  will 
remember  you,  and  you  shall  carry  my  bones  up  from 
hence.  And  Joseph  died,  the  son  of  a  hundred  and 
ten  years,  and  they  embalmed  him,  and  laid  him  in  an 
ark  in  Mizraim. 


END  OF  ONKELOS  ON  BERESHITH. 


THE  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE, 

COMMONLY  ENTITLED 

THE  TARGUM  OF  JONATHAN  BEN  UZZIEL, 


ON  THR 

BOOK  OF  GENESIS- 


SECTION  I. 

BERASHITH. 

I.  At  the  beginning  ( min  avella)  the  Lord  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth.  And  the  earth  was  vacancy  and 
desolation,  solitary  of  the  sons  of  men,  and  void  of  every 
animal ;  and  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  abyss, 
and  the  Spirit  of  mercies  from  before  the  Lord  breathed 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 

[Jerusalem  Targum.  In  wisdom  (be-hukema)  the 
Lord  created.  And  the  earth  was  vacancy  and  desola¬ 
tion,  and  solitary  of  the  sons  of  men,  and  void  of  every 
animal ;  and  the  Spirit  of  mercies  from  before  the  Lord 
breathed  upon  the  face  of  the  waters.] 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  there  be  light  to  enlighten 
above ;  and  at  once  there  was  light.  And  the  Lord 
beheld  the  light,  that  it  was  good  ;  and  the  Lord 
divided  between  the  light  and  the  darkness.  And  the 
Lord  called  the  light  Day ;  and  He  made  it  that  the 
inhabiters  of  the  world  might  labour  by  it :  and  the 
darkness  called  He  Night ;  and  He  made  it  that  in  it 


158  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  creatures  might  have  rest.  And  it  was  evening, 
and  it  was  morning,  the  First  Day. 

[Jerusalem  Targum.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was 
morning,  in  the  order  of  the  work  of  the  creation,  (or  of 
the  beginning,)  the  First  Day.] 

And  the  Lord  said.  Let  there  be  an  expanse  in  the 
midst  of  the  waters,  and  let  it  separate  between  the 
waters  above  and  the  waters  beneath. 

[Jerusalem.  And  let  there  be  a  separation  between 
the  waters  above  and  the  waters  below.7] 

And  the  Lord  made  the  expanse,  upbearing  it  with 
three  fingers,  between  the  confines  of  the  heavens  and 
the  waters  of  the  ocean,  and  separated  between  the 
waters  which  were  below  the  expanse,  and  the  waters 
which  were  above,  in  the  collection  (or  covering)  of  the 
expanse  ;  and  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  called  the 
expanse  the  Heavens.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was 
morning,  the  Second  Day. 

And  the  Lord  said.  Let  the  lower  waters  which 
remain  under  the  heavens  be  gathered  together  into  one 
place,  and  the  earth  be  dried,  that  the  land  may  be 
visible.  And  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord  called  the  dry 
(land)  the  Earth,  and  the  place  of  the  assemblage  of 
waters  called  He  the  Seas ;  and  the  Lord  saw  that  it 
was  good.  And  the  Lord  said,  Let  the  earth  increase 
the  grassy  herb  whose  seed  seedeth,  and  the  fruit-tree 
making  fruit  after  its  kind,  whose  seed  is  in  itself  upon 
the  earth.  And  it  was  so.  And  the  earth  produced 
grasses  (and)  herbage  whose  seed  seedeth,  and  the  tree 
making  fruit  after  its  kind.  And  the  Lord  saw  that  it 
was  good.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morning, 
the  Third  Day. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  there  be  lights  in  the  expanse 
of  the  heavens,  to  distinguish  between  the  day  and  the 

7  Maia  araee,  “  the  terrestrial  waters.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


159 


fc] 

night ;  and  let  them  be  for  signs  and  for  festival  times, 
and  for  the  numbering  by  them  the  account  of  days, 
and  for  the  sanctifying  of  the  beginning  of  months,  and 
the  beginning  of  years,  the  passing  away  of  months, 
and  the  passing  away  of  years,  the  revolutions  of  the 
sun,  the  birth  of  the  moon,  and  the  revolvings  (of 
seasons).8 

[Jerusalem.  And  let  them  be  for  signs,  and  for 
seasons,  and  for  the  sanctifying  by  them  of  the  be¬ 
ginning  of  months  and  years.] 

And  let  them  be  for  luminaries  in  the  expanse  of  the 
heavens  to  give  light  upon  the  earth.  And  it  was  so. 
And  the  Lord  made  two  great  luminaries ;  and  they 
were  equal  in  glory  twenty  and  one  years,  less  six 
hundred  and  two  and  seventy  parts  of  an  hour.  And 
afterwards  the  moon  recited  against  the  sun  a  false 
report ; 1  and  she  was  diminished,  and  the  sun  was 
appointed  to  be  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day ;  and 
the  moon  to  be  the  inferior  light  to  rule  in  the  night, 
and  the  stars.  And  the  Lord  ordained  them  unto  their 
offices,  in  the  expanse  of  the  heavens,  to  give  forth 
light  upon  the  earth,  and  to  minister  by  day  and  by 
night,  to  distinguish  between  the  light  of  the  day  and 
the  darkness  of  the  night.  And  the  Lord  beheld  that 
it  was  good.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morning, 
Day  the  Fourth. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  the  lakes  of  the  waters 
swarm  forth  the  reptile,  the  living  animal,  and  the  fowl 
which  flieth,  whose  nest  is  upon  the  earth  ;  and  let  the 
way  of  the  bird  be  upon  the  air  of  the  expanse  of  the 
heavens.  And  the  Lord  created  the  great  tanins,8  the 
lev-ya-than  and  his  yoke-fellow  which  are  prepared  for 

8  Or,  “new  moons.”  1  Vide  Introduction,  p.  11. 

9  Any  animals  distinguished  by  great  length,  from  tanan,  “to  extend,  to 
be  prolonged.” 


160  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  day  of  consolation,  and  every  living  animal  which 
creepeth,  and  which  the  clear  waters  had  swarmed 
forth  after  their  kind ;  the  kinds  which  are  clean,  and 
the  kinds  which  are  not  clean ;  and  every  fowl  which 
flieth  with  wings  after  their  kinds,  the  clean  and  the 
unclean.  And  the  Lord  beheld  that  it  was  good. 
And  He  blessed  them,  saying,  Increase  and  multiply, 
and  fill  the  waters  of  the  seas,  and  let  the  fowl  multiply 
upon  the  earth.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morn¬ 
ing,  Day  the  Fifth. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Let  the  soil  of  the  earth  bring 
forth  the  living  creature  according  to  his  kind;  the 
kind  that  is  dean  and  the  kind  that  is  unclean  ;  cattle, 
and  creeping  thing,  and  the  creature  of  the  earth, 
according  to  his  kind.  And  it  was  so.  And  the  Lord 
made  the  beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind,  the  clean 
and  the  unclean,  and  cattle  after  their  kind,  and 
every  reptile  of  the  earth  after  its  kind,  the  clean 
and  the  unclean.  And  the  Lord  saw  that  it  was 
good. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  the  angels  who  ministered 
before  Him,  who  had  been  created  in  the  second  day 
of  the  creation  of  the  world,  Let  us  make  man  in  Our 
image,  in  Our  likeness ;  and  let  them  rule  over  the  fish 
of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  which  are  in  the  atmo¬ 
sphere  of  heaven,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the 
earth,  and  over  every  reptile  creeping  upon  the  earth. 
And  the  Lord  created  man  in  His  likeness:  [Jerusa¬ 
lem.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  created  man  in  His 
likeness,  in  the  likeness  of  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
He  created  him,  the  male  and  his  yoke-fellow  He 
created  them.]  In  the  image  of  the  Lord  He  created 
him,  with  two  hundred  and  forty  and  eight  members, 
with  three  hundred  and  sixty  and  five  nerves,  and  over¬ 
laid  them  with  skin,  and  filled  it  with  flesh  and  blood. 


ON  GENESIS. 


161 


II.] 


Male  and  female  in  their  bodies  He  created  them. 
And  He  blessed  them,  and  the  Lord  said  to  them. 
Increase  and  multiply,  and  fill  the  earth  with  sons  and 
daughters,  and  prevail  over  it,  in  its  possessions ;  and 
have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea  and  over  the 
fowl  of  the  heavens,  and  over  every  creeping  animal 
that  creepeth  upon  the  earth.  And  the  Lord  said. 
Behold,  I  have  given  you  every  herb  whose  seed 
seedeth  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth,  and  every  un¬ 
fruitful  tree  for  the  need  of  building  and  for  burning ; 
and  the  tree  in  which  is  fruit  seeding  after  its  kind,  to 
you  it  shall  be  for  food.  But  to  every  beast  of  the 
earth,  and  to  every  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and  to  every 
reptile  upon  the  earth  in  which  is  the  living  soul,  (I 
have  given)  all  green  herbs.  And  it  was  so.  And 
the  Lord  beheld  every  thing  He  had  made,  and  it  was 
very  good.  And  it  was  evening,  and  it  was  morning, 
the  Sixth  Day. 

II.  And  the  creatures  of  the  heavens  and  earth,  and 
all  the  hosts  of  them,  were  completed.  And  the  Lord 
had  finished  by  the  Seventh  Day  the  work  which  He  had 
wrought,  and  the  ten  formations  which  He  had  created 
between  the  suns ; 3  and  He  rested  the  Seventh  Day  from 
all  His  works  which  He  had  performed.  And  the 
Lord  blessed  the  Seventh  Day  more  than  all  the  days 
of  the  week,  and  sanctified  it,  because  in  it  He  rested 
from  all  His  works  which  the  Lord  had  created  and 
had  willed  to  make.  These  are  the  geneses  of  the 
heavens  and  earth  when  they  were  created  in  the  day 
that  the  Lord  God  made  the  earth  and  heavens.  And 
all  the  trees  of  the  field  were  not  as  yet  in  the  earth, 
and  all  the  herbs  of  the  field  had  not  as  yet  germinated, 
because  the  Lord  God  had  not  made  it  to  rain  upon  the 


5  Beini  shimshetha.  See  Castel,  Lex.,  cot  8784,  and  compare 
Exod.  xii.  6  ;  “  from  evening  to  evening.” 


162  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

earth,  and  man  was  not  to  cultivate  the  ground.  But 
a  cloud  of  glory  descended  from  the  throne  of  glory, 
and  was  filled  with  waters  from  the  ocean,  and  after¬ 
ward  went  up  from  the  earth,  and  gave  rain  to  come 
down  and  water  all  the  face  of  the  ground. 

And  the  Lord  God  created  man  in  two  formations ; 
and  took  dust  from  the  place  of  the  house  of  the  sanctu¬ 
ary,4  and  from  the  four  winds  of  the  world,  and  mixed 
from  all  the  waters  of  the  world,  and  created  him  red, 
black,  and  white;  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
inspiration  6  of  life,  and  there  was  in  the  body  of  Adam 
the  inspiration 5  of  a  speaking  spirit,®  unto  the  illu¬ 
mination  of  the  eyes  and  the  hearing  of  the  ears. 
[Jerusalem.  And  Adam  became  a  soul  of  life.] 

And  a  garden  from  the  Eden  of  the  just  was  planted 
by  the  Word  of  the  Lord  God  before  the  creation  of 
the  world,  and  He  made  there  to  dwell  the  man  when 
He  had  created  him.  And  the  Lord  God  made  to 
grow  from  the  ground  every  tree  that  was  desirable  to 
behold  and  good  to  eat,  and  the  tree  of  life  in  the 
midst  of  the  garden,  whose  height  was  a  journey  of  five 
hundred  years,  and  the  tree  of  whose  fruit  they  who 
ate  would  distinguish  between  good  and  evil. 

[Jerusalem.  And  the  tree  of  knowledge,  of  which 
any  one  who  ate  would  distinguish  between  good  and 
evil.] 

And  a  river  went  forth  from  Eden,  to  water  the 
garden,  and  from  thence  was  separated,  and  became 
four  heads  of  rivers  (or  four  chief  rivers).  The  name 
of  the  first  is  Phishon ;  that  is  it  which  compasseth  all 
the  land  of  Hindiki,  where  there  is  gold.  And  the 
gold  of  that  land  is  choice.  There  is  the  bedilcha,  and 
the  precious  stones  of  byrils.  And  the  name  of  the 

4  Mount  Moriah.  Comp.  chap.  iv.  23.  5  Niskmelha. 

6  Leruach  memallela. 


ON  GENESIS. 


163 


II.] 

second  river  is  Gichon ;  that  is  it  which  encompasseth 
all  the  land  of  Koosh.  And  the  name  of  the  third 
river  is  Diglath ;  that  is  it  which  goeth  to  the  east  of 
Athoor.  And  the  fourth  river  is  Pherath. 

And  the  Lord  God  took  the  man  from  the  mountain 
of  worship,  where  he  had  been  created,  and  made  him 
dwell  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  do  service  in  the  law, 
and  to  keep  its  commandments. 

[Jerusalem.  And  the  Lord  God  took  the  man, 
and  made  him  dwell  in  the  garden  of  Eden ;  and  set  him 
to  do  service  in  the  law,  and  to  keep  it.] 

And  the  Lord  God  commanded  Adam,  saying,  Of 
every  tree  of  the  garden  eating  thou  mayest  eat.  But 
of  the  tree  of  whose  fruit  they  who  eat  (become)  wise 
to  know  between  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat :  for 
in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thou  wilt  be  guilty  of 
death. 

And  the  Lord  God  said,  It  is  not  right  that  Adam 
should  be  sleeping  alone  :  I  will  make  unto  him  a  wife 
who  may  be  a  helper  before  him. 

[Jerusalem.  I  will  make  for  him  a  yoke-fellow, 
going  forth  with  him.] 

And  the  Lord  God  created  from  the  earth  every 
beast  of  the  field,  and  every  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and 
brought  them  to  Adam,  to  see  by  what  name  he  would 
call  it.  And  whatever  Adam  called  the  living  animal, 
that  was  its  name.  And  Adam  called  the  names  of  all 
cattle,  and  all  fowl  of  the  heavens,  and  all  beasts  of  the 
field.  But  for  Adam  was  not  found  as  yet  a  helper 
before  him.  [Jerusalem.  And  for  Adam  was  not 
found  a  yoke-fellow  going  forth  with  him.] 

And  the  Lord  God  threw  a  deep  slumber  upon 
Adam,  and  he  slept.  And  He  took  one  of  his  ribs,  it 
was  the  thirteenth  rib  of  the  right  side,  and  closed  it 
up  with  flesh.  And  the  Lord  God  builded  the  rib 


164  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

which  he  had  taken  from  Adam  into  a  woman  ;  and 
He  brought  her  to  Adam.  And  Adam  said.  This  time, 
and  not  again,  is  woman  created  from  man.  Thus, 
because  she  is  created  from  me,  (she  is)  bone  of  my 
bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh.  This  it  is  fit  to  call 
Woman,  because  from  man  she  was  taken.  Therefore 
a  man  shall  leave,  and  be  separate  from  the  house  of 
the  bed  of  his  father  and  of  his  mother,  and  shall  con- 
sociate  with  his  wife,  and  both  of  them  shall  be  one 
flesh.  And  both  of  them  were  wise,  Adam  and  his 
wife ;  but  they  were  not  faithful  (or  truthful)  in  their 
glory:  [Jerusalem.  Therefore  a  man  shall  leave  the 

house  of  the  bed  of  his  father  and  his  mother . And 

they  knew  not  what  is  shame.] 

III.  And  the  serpent  was  wiser  unto  evil  than  all 
the  beasts  of  the  field  which  the  Lord  God  had  made. 
And  he  said  to  the  woman,  Is  it  truth  that  the  Lord 
God  hath  said,  You  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ?  And  the  woman  said  to  the  serpent,  From 
the  rest  of  the  fruits  of  the  trees  of  the  garden  we  have 
power  to  eat ;  but  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  garden  the  Lord  hath  said.  You  shall 
not  eat  of  it,  nor  approach  it,  lest  you  die.  In  that 
hour  the  serpent  spake  accusation  against  his  Creator, 
and  said  to  the  woman.  Dying  you  will  not  die;  for 
every  artificer  hateth  the  son  of  his  art :  for  it  is  mani¬ 
fest  before  the  Lord,  that  in  the  day  that  you  eat  of  it, 
you  will  be  as  the  great  angels,  who  are  wise  to  know 
between  good  and  evil. 

And  the  woman  beheld  Sammael,  the  angel  of  death, 
and  was  afraid ;  yet  she  knew  that  the  tree  was  good 
to  eat,  and  that  it  was  medicine  for  the  enlightenment  of 
the  eyes,  and  a  desirable  tree  by  means  of  which  to 
understand.  And  she  took  of  its  fruit,  and  did  eat ; 
and  she  gave  to  her  husband  with  her,  and  he  did  eat, 


ON  GENESIS. 


165 


III.] 

And  the  eyes  of  both  were  enlightened,  and  they  knew 
that  they  were  naked,  divested  of  the  purple 7  robe  in 
which  they  had  been  created.  And  they  saw  the  sight 
of  their  shame,  and  sewed  to  themselves  the  leaves  of 
figs,  and  made  to  them  cinctures.  [Jerusalem.  And  they 
made  to  them  vestments.]  And  they  heard  the  voice 
of  the  word  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the  garden  in 
the  repose  of  the  day;  and  Adam  and  his  wife  hid 
themselves  from  before  the  Lord  God  among  the  trees 
of  the  garden.  And  the  Lord  God  called  to  Adam, 
and  said  to  him.  Is  not  all  the  world  which  I  have  made 
manifest  before  Me;  the  darkness  as  the  light?  and  how 
hast  thou  thought  in  thine  heart  to  hide  from  before  Me  ? 
The  place  where  thou  art  concealed,  do  I  not  see  ? 
Where  are  the  commandments  that  I  commanded  thee  ? 

[Jerusalem.  Walking  in  the  garden  in  the  strength 

of  the  day . And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  God  called 

to  Adam,  and  said  to  him,  Behold,  the  world  which  I 
have  created  is  manifest  before  Me,  the  darkness  and 
the  light  are  manifest  before  Me;  and  how  thinkest 
thou  that  the  place  in  the  midst  whereof  thou  art,  is 
not  revealed  before  Me  ?  Where  is  the  commandment 
which  I  taught  thee  ?] 

And  he  said,  The  voice  of  Thy  Word  heard  I  in  the 
garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I  am  naked ;  and  the 
commandment  which  Thou  didst  teach  me,  I  have 
transgressed ;  therefore  I  hid  myself  from  shame.  And 
He  said,  Who  showed  thee  that  thou  art  naked  ? 
Unless  thou  hast  eaten  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
which  I  commanded  that  thou  shouldst  not  eat.  And 
Adam  said.  The  woman  whom  Thou  gavest  to  be  with 
me,  she  gave  me  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat. 
And  the  Lord  God  said  to  the  woman,  What  hast  thou 
done  ?  And  the  woman  said,  The  serpent  beguiled  me 

7  Or, ‘‘onyx- coloured.” 


166  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [cHAP. 

with  his  subtilty,  and  deceived  me  with  his  wickedness, 
and  I  ate.  And  the  Lord  God  brought  the  three  unto 
judgment;  and  He  said  to  the  serpent,  Because  thou 
hast  done  this,  cursed  art  thou  of  all  the  cattle,  and  of 
all  the  beasts  of  the  field  :  upon  thy  belly  thou  shalt 
go,  and  thy  feet  shall  be  cut  off,  and  thy  skin  thou 
shalt  cast  away  once  in  seven  years  ;  and  the  poison  of 
death  shall  be  in  thy  mouth,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat 
all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And  I  will  put  enmity  between 
thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  the  seed  of  thy  son, 
and  the  seed  of  her  sons ;  and  it  shall  be  when  the  sons 
of  the  woman  keep  the  commandments  of  the  law,  they 
will  be  prepared  to  smite  thee  upon  thy  head;  but 
when  they  forsake  the  commandments  of  the  law,  thou 
wilt  be  ready  to  wound  them  in  their  heel.  Neverthe¬ 
less  for  them  there  shall  be  a  medicine,  but  for  thee 
there  will  be  no  medicine;  and  they  shall  make 
a  remedy  for  the  heel  in  the  days  of  the  King 
Meshiha.8 

[Jerusalem.  And  it  shall  be  when  the  sons  of  the 
woman  consider  the  law,  and  perform  (its)  instructions, 
they  will  be  prepared  to  smite  thee  on  thy  head  to  kill 
thee ;  and  when  the  sons  of  the  woman  forsake  the  com¬ 
mandment  of  the  law,  and  perform  not  (its)  instruc¬ 
tions,  thou  wilt  be  ready  to  wound  them  in  their  heel, 
and  hurt  them.  Nevertheless  there  shall  be  a  medicine 
for  the  sons  of  the  woman,  but  for  thee,  serpent,  there 
shall  be  no  medicine :  but  it  is  to  be  that  for  these 
there  shall  be  a  remedy 8  for  the  heel  in  the  days  of  the 
king  Meshiha.] 

Unto  the  woman  He  said,  Multiplying,  I  will  multi¬ 
ply  thy  affliction  by  the  blood  of  thy  virginity,  and  by 
thy  conception ;  in  sorrow  shalt  thou  bear  children,  and 

8  Or,  "make  a  bruise  with  the  heel  in  the  days  of'  the  king 
Meshiha.”  “  Shephiutha, — contritio ,  al.  complastrum .” — Caste L. 


ON  GENESIS. 


in.] 


167 


to  thy  husband  shall  be  thy  desire,  and  he  will  have 
rule  over  thee  unto  righteousness  or  unto  sin. 

But  to  Adam  he  said,  Because  thou  hast  hearkened 
to  the  word  of  thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  fruit 
of  the  tree,  of  which  I  commanded  thee,  saying,  Thou 
shalt  not  eat  of  it,  accursed  is  the  ground,  in  that  it  did 
not  show  thee  thy  guilt;  in  labour  shalt  thou  eat  (of) 
it  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And  thorns  and  thistles  will 
it  put  forth  and  increase  on  account  of  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  eat  the  herb  which  is  on  the  face  of  the  field. 
And  Adam  answered  :  I  pray,  through  mercies  from 
before  Thee,  0  Lord,  that  we  may  not  be  accounted  as 
the  cattle,  to  eat  the  herb  of  the  face  of  the  field.  Let 
us  stand  up,  and  labour  with  the  labour  of  the  hands, 
and  eat  food  of  the  food  of  the  earth ;  and  thus  let 
there  be  distinction  before  Thee,  between  the  children 
of  men  and  the  offspring  of  cattle. 

[Jerusalem.  And  thorns  and  dardareen  shall  it 
increase  to  thee  ;  and  thou  shalt  eat  the  herb  which  is 
on  the  face  of  the  field.  Adam  answered  and  said, 
I  pray,  through  mercies  from  before  Thee,  O  Lord, 
that  we  be  not  accounted  before  Thee  as  the  cattle,  to 
eat  the  herb  which  is  on  the  face  of  the  field.  Let  us 
now  stand  up,  and  labour  with  the  labour  of  the  hands, 
and  eat  food  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth ;  and  in  these 
things  let  there  be  distinction  before  Thee  between 
the  children  of  men  and  the  cattle.]  By  the  labour  of 
thy  hands 9  thou  shalt  eat  food,  until  thou  turn  again 
to  the  dust  from  which  thou  wast  created :  for  dust 
thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return ;  for  from  the 
dust  it  is  to  be  that  thou  art  to  arise,  to  render  judg¬ 
ment  and  reckoning  for  all  that  thou  hast  done,  in  the 
day  of  the  great  judgment.1 

And  Adam  called  the  name  of  his  wife  Hava,  because 

9  Kaph  yedaka,  “  of  the  palm  of  thy  hands.”  1  Beyom  dina  rabba. 


168  TAUGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

she  is  the  mother  of  all  the  children  of  men.  And  the 
Lord  God  made  to  Adam  and  to  his  wife  vestures  of 
honour  from  the  skin  of  the  serpent,  which  he  had  cast 
from  him,  upon  the  skin  of  their  flesh,  instead  of  that 
adornment  which  had  been  cast  away ;  and  He  clothed 
them. 

And  the  Lord  God  said  to  the  angels  who  ministered 
before  Him,  Behold,  Adam  is  sole 8  on  the  earth,  as  I 
am  sole  in  the  heavens  above ;  and  it  will  be  that  they 
will  arise  from  him  who  will  know  to  discern  between 
good  and  evil.  Had  he  kept  the  commandments 
which  I  appointed  to  him,  he  would  have  lived  and  sub¬ 
sisted  as  the  tree  of  life  for  ever.  But  now,  because  he 
hath  not  kept  that  which  I  prescribed,  it  is  decreed 
against  him  that  we  keep 3  him  from  the  garden  of 
Eden,  before  he  reach  forth  his  hand  and  take  of  the 
tree  of  life :  for,  behold,  if  he  eat  thereof,  living  he  will 
live  and  subsist  for  ever.  And  the  Lord  God  removed 
him  from  the  garden  of  Eden ;  and  he  went  and  dwelt 
on  Mount  Moriah,  to  cultivate  the  ground  from  which 
he  had  been  created.  And  He  drave  out  the  man  from 
thence  where  He  had  made  to  dwell  the  glory  of  His 
Shekina  at  the  first  between  the  two  Kerubaia.  Before 
He  had  created  the  world,  He  created  the  law ;  He  pre¬ 
pared  the  garden  of  Eden  for  the  righteous,  that  they 
might  eat  and  delight  themselves  with  the  fruit  of  the 
tree ;  because  they  would  have  practised  in  their  fives 
the  doctrine  of  the  law  in  this  world,  and  have  main¬ 
tained  the  commandments :  (but)  he  prepared  Gehin- 
nam  for  the  wicked,  which  is  like  the  sharp,  consuming 
sword  of  two  edges ;  in  the  midst  of  it  He  hath  pre¬ 
pared  flakes  of  fire  and  burning  coals  for  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  the  wicked  who  rebelled  in  their  life  against 
the  doctrine  of  the  law.  To  serve  the  law  is  better 

2  Techidai — unions,  vnigenitus.  3  Or,  prohibit.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


169 


IV.] 

than  (to  eat  of)  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  (the  law) 
which  the  Word  of  the  Lord  prepared,  that  man  in 
keeping  it  might  continue,  and  walk  in  the  paths  of 
the  way  of  life  in  the  world  to  come. 

[Jerusalem.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  God  said, 
Behold,  Adam  whom  I  have  created  is  sole 4  in  my  world, 
as  I  am  sole  in  the  heavens  above.  It  is  to  be  that  a 
great  people  are  to  arise  from  him ;  from  him  will  arise 
a  people  who  will  know  how  to  discern  between  good 
and  evil.  And  now  it  is  good  that  we  keep  6  him  from 
the  garden  of  Eden  before  he  stretch  forth  his  hand 
and  take  also  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat, 

and  live  for  ever . And  He  cast  out  Adam,  and  made 

the  glory  of  His  Shekina  to  dwell  at  the  front  of  the 
east  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  above  the  two  Kerubaia. 
Two  thousand  years  before  He  had  created  the  world, 
He  created  the  law,  and  prepared  Gehinnam  and  the 
garden  of  Eden.  He  prepared  the  garden  of  Eden  6  for 
the  righteous,  that  they  should  eat,  and  delight  them¬ 
selves  with  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  because  they  had  kept 
tiie  commandments  of  the  law  in  this  world.  For  the 
wicked  He  prepared  Gehinnam,  which  is  like  the  sharp, 
consuming  sword  with  two  edges.  He  prepared  in  the 
depth  of  it  flakes  of  fire  and  burning  coals  for  the 
wicked,  for  their  punishment  for  ever  in  the  world  to 
come,  who  have  not  kept  the  commandment  of  the  law 
in  this  world.  Eor  the  law  is  the  tree  of  life ;  who¬ 
ever  keepeth  it  in  this  life  liveth  and  subsisteth  as  the 
tree  of  life.  The  law  is  good  to  keep  in  this  world,  as 
the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  in  the  world  that  cometh.] 

1Y.  And  Adam  knew  Hava  his  wife,  who  had  desired 
the  Angel ;  and  she  conceived,  and  bare  Kain ;  and  she 

*  Yechidai, — unicus ,  unigenitus,  “only  begotten.”  F  Or,  “prohibit.” 

6  “  Seven  things  existed  before  the  creation  of  the  world, — the  law, 
repentance,  paradise,  hell,  the  throne  of  God,  the  name  of  the  Messiah, 
and  the  holy  temple.” — Yalkut.  Vide  Introduction,  p.  11. 

I 


170  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

*?aid,  I  have  acquired  a  man,  the  Angel  of  the  Lord. 
And  she  added  to  bear  from  her  husband  Adam  his 
twin,  even  Habel.  And  Habel  was  a  shepherd  of  the 
flock,  but  Kain  was  a  man  working  in  the  earth.  And 
it  was  at  the  end  of  days,  on  the  fourteenth  of  Nisan, 
that  Kain  brought  of  the  produce  of  the  earth,  the  seed 
of  cotton  (or  line),  an  oblation  of  first  things  before  the 
Lord ;  and  Habel  brought  of  the  firstlings  of  the  flock, 
and  of  their  fat ;  and  it  was  pleasing  before  the  Lord, 
and  He  gave  (His)  countenance  to  Habel  and  to  his 
oblation ;  but  to  Kain  and  to  his  oblation  He  gave  no 
countenance.  And  Kain  was  angered  greatly,  and  the 
features  of  his  face  were  downcast.  And  the  Lord  said 
to  Kain,  Why  hast  thou  anger,  and  why  are  the  features 
of  thy  face  downcast?  If  thou  doest  thy  work  well, 
will  not  thy  guilt  be  forgiven  thee  ?  But  if  thou  doest 
not  thy  work  well  in  this  world,  thy  sin  is  retained  unto 
the  day  of  the  great  judgment,  and  at  the  doors  of  thy 
heart  lieth  thy  sin.  And  into  thy  hand  have  I  delivered 
the  power  over  evil  passion,  and  unto  thee  shall  be  the 
inclination  thereof,  that  thou  mayest  have  authority 
over  it  to  become  righteous,  or  to  sin. 

And  Kain  said  to  Habel  his  brother.  Come,  and  let 
us  two  go  forth  into  the  field.  And  it  was  that  when 
they  two  had  gone  forth  into  the  field,  Kain  answered 
and  said  to  Habel,  I  perceive  that  the  world  was  created 
in  goodness,  but  it  is  not  governed  (or  conducted) 
according  to  the  fruit  of  good  works,  for  there  is  re¬ 
spect  to  persons  in  judgment ;  therefore  it  is  that  thy 
offering  was  accepted,  and  mine  not  accepted  with  good 
will. 

Habel  answered  and  said  to  Kain,  In  goodness  was 
the  world  created,  and  according  to  the  fruit  of  good 
works  is  it  governed  ;  and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons 
in  judgment ;  but  because  the  fruits  of  my  works  were 


IV.]  ON  GENESIS.  171 

better  than  thine,  my  oblation,  before  thine,  hath  been 
accepted  with  good  will. 

Kain  answered  and  said  to  Habel,  There  is  neither 
judgment  nor  Judge,  nor  another  world  ;  nor  will  good 
reward  be  given  to  the  righteous,  nor  vengeance  be 
taken  of  the  wicked. 

And  Habel  answered  and  said  to  Kain,  There  is  a 
judgment,  and  there  is  a  Judge;  and  there  is  another 
world,  and  a  good  reward  given  to  the  righteous,  and 
vengeance  taken  of  the  wicked. 

And  because  of  these  words  they  had  contention 
upon  the  face  of  the  field ;  and  Kain  arose  against 
Habel  his  brother,  and  drave  a  stone  into  his  forehead, 
and  killed  him. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Kain,  Where  is  Habel  thy 
brother ?  And  he  said,  I  know  not;  am  I  the  keeper 
of  my  brother  ?  And  He  said,  What  hast  thou  done  ? 
The  voice  of  the  bloods  of  the  murder  of  thy  brother 
which  are  swallowed  up  in  the  sod,  crieth  before  Me 
from  the  earth.  And  now  because  thou  hast  killed 
him,  thou  art  cursed  from  the  earth,  which  hath  opened 
the  mouth,  and  received  the  bloods  of  thy  brother  from 
thy  hand.  When  thou  tillest  the  earth,  it  shall  not 
add  to  give  strength  to  its  fruits  for  thee.  A  wanderer 
and  an  exile  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth.  And  Kain 
said  before  the  Lord,  More  heavy  is  my  rebellion  than 
can  be  borne  (away).  Yet  is  there  power  before  Thee 
to  forgive  it.  Behold,  Thou  hast  cast  me  forth  to-day 
from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  from  before  Thee  is  it 
possible  to  be  hidden  ?  And  because  I  am  a  wanderer 
and  an  exile  in  the  earth,  any  just  one  who  findeth  me 
will  kill  me.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him,  Behold  now, 
any  one  who  killeth  Kain,  unto  seven  generations  venge¬ 
ance  shall  be  taken  of  him.  And  the  Lord  sealed 
upon  the  face  of  Kain  the  mark  of  the  Name  great  and 

i  2 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


172 


[chap. 


honourable,  that  any  one  who  might  find  him  should 
not  kill  him  when  he  saw  it  upon  him. 

[Jerusalem.  7.  If  thou  makest  thy  work  good  in 
this  world,  will  it  not  be  forgiven  and  remitted  thee  in 
the  world  to  come  ?  But  if  thou  dost  not  make  thy 
work  good  in  this  world,  thy  sin  is  retained  unto  the 
day  of  the  great  judgment ;  and  at  the  door  of  thy 
heart  it  lieth.  Yet  into  thy  hand  have  I  delivered 
power  over  evil  passion,  and  to  thee  may  be  dominion 

over  it,  to  become  righteous  or  to  sin . 8.  And  Kain 

said  to  Habel  his  brother.  Come,  and  let  us  go  forth 
upon  the  face  of  the  field.  And  it  was  when  they  had 
gone  out  upon  the  face  of  the  field,  Kain  answered  and 
said  to  Habel  his  brother,  There  is  neither  judgment 
nor  J udge,  nor  another  world ;  neither  is  a  good 
reward  given  to  the  righteous,  nor  will  vengeance 
be  taken  of  the  wicked.  Nor  was  the  world  created 
in  goodness,  nor  in  goodness  is  it  conducted.  There¬ 
fore  it  is  that  thy  oblation  was  accepted  with  good 
will,  and  mine  not  accepted  with  good  will.  Habel 
answered  and  said  to  Kain,  There  is  a  judgment,  and 
there  is  a  Judge  :  there  is  another  world,  and  a  good 
reward  is  given  to  the  righteous,  and  vengeance  taken 
of  the  wicked.  And  in  goodness  was  the  world  created, 
and  in  goodness  is  it  conducted.  But  according  to  the 
fruit  of  good  works  is  it  conducted.  Because  my  works 
were  better  ordered  than  thine,  my  offering  was  accepted 
with  good  will,  and  thine  was  not  accepted  with  good 
will.  And  as  they  two  disputed  on  the  face  of  the 
field,  Kain  arose  against  Habel  his  brother,  and  killed 

him . 10.  The  voice  of  the  blood  of  the  multitude 

of  the  righteous  who  were  to  arise  from  Habel  thy 

brother . 13.  And  Kain  said  before  the  Lord,  My 

sins  are  greater  than  can  be  borne.  Nevertheless 
there  is  power  before  Thee  to  absolve  and  forgive  me.] 


ON  GENESIS. 


173 


iv.] 

And  Kain  went  out  from  before  the  Lord,  and  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  the  wandering  of  his  exile,  which  had 
been  made  for  him  from  before,  as  the  garden  of  Eden. 
And  Kain  knew  his  wife,  and  she  conceived  and  bare 
Hanok ;  and  he  builded  a  city,  and  called  the  name  of 
the  city  after  the  name  of  his  son,  Hanok. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Kain  went  out  from  before  the 
Lord,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  exile  and  wandering, 
eastward  of  the  garden  of  Eden.  And  it  had  been 
before  Kain  slew  Habel  his  brother  that  the  earth  mul¬ 
tiplied  fruits,  as  the  fruits  of  the  garden  of  Eden ;  (but) 
from  (the  time  that)  he  sinned  and  killed  his  brother, 
it  changed,  to  produce  thorns  and  thistles.] 

18.  And  there  was  born  unto  Hanok  Irad,  and  Irad 
begat  Mechujael,  and  Mechujaei  begat  Methushael,  and 
Methushael  begat  Lemek.  And  Lemek  took  to  him 
two  wives ;  the  name  of  the  first,  Ada,  and  the  name 
of  the  second,  Zillah.  And  Ada  bare  Javal ;  he  was 
the  chief  ( rab )  of  all  those  who  dwell  in  tents,  and  are 
masters  of  cattle.  And  the  name  of  his  brother  (was) 
Juval :  he  was  chief  {rab)  of  all  those  who  take  part  in 
song  with  the  lyre  and  the  pipe.  And  Zillah  bare  also 
Tuvalkain,  the  chief  {rab)  of  all  artificers  who  know  the 
workmanship  of  brass  and  iron.  And  the  sister  of  Tuval¬ 
kain  was  Naama ;  she  was  mistress  of  elegies  and  songs. 

And  Lemek  said  to  his  wives  Ada  and  Zillah,  Hear 
my  voice,  wives  of  Lemek,  hearken  to  my  words  :  for 
I  have  not  killed  a  man,  that  I  should  be  slain  for  him ; 
neither  have  I  destroyed  a  young  man,  on  whose  account 
my  children  should  perish.  Eor  Kain  who  sinned  and 
was  converted  by  repentance  (had  protection)  unto 
seven  generations  extended  to  him :  and  to  Lemek,  the 
son  of  his  son,  who  hath  not  sinned,  it  is  just  that  it 
shall  be  extended  unto  seventy  and  seven. 

And  Adam  knew  his  wife  again,  at  the  end  of  a 


174  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

hundred  and  thirty  years  after  Habel  had  been  slain ; 
and  she  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Sheth ;  for  she 
said.  The  Lord  hath  given  me  another  son  instead  of 
Habel  whom  Kain  slew.  And  to  Sheth  also  was  born 
a  son,  and  he  called  his  name  Enosh.  That  was  the 
generation  in  whose  days  they  began  to  err,  and  to 
make  themselves  idols,  and  surnamed  their  idols  by  the 
name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 

Y.  This  is  the  book  of  the  genealogy  of  Man.7  In 
the  day  that  the  Lord  created  man,7  in  the  likeness  of 
the  Lord  He  made  him.  Male  and  female  He  created 
them,  and  blessed  them  in  the  name  of  His  Word ;  and 
He  called  their  name  Man7  in  the  day  they  were 
created.  And  Adam  lived  a  hundred  and  thirty  years, 
and  begat  Sheth,  who  had  the  likeness  of  his  image  and 
of  his  similitude  :  for  before  had  Hava  born  Kain,  who 
was  not  like  to  him ;  and  Habel  was  killed  by  his  hand. 
And  Kain  was  cast  out ;  neither  is  his  seed  genealogized 
in  the  book  of  the  genealogy  of  Adam.  But  afterwards 
there  was  born  one  like  him,  and  he  called  his  name 
Sheth.  And  the  days  of  Adam  after  he  begat  Sheth 
were  eight  hundred  years,  and  he  begat  sons  and 
daughters. 

[Jerusalem.  4.  Eight  hundred  years ;  and  in  those 
years  he  begat  sons  and  daughters.  5.  And  he  died, 
and  was  gathered  from  the  midst  of  the  world.] 

And  all  the  days  of  Sheth  were  nine  hundred  and 
twelve  years,  and  he  died.  And  Enosh  lived  ninety 
years,  and  begat  Kenan.  And  Enosh  lived  after  he  had 
begotten  Kenan  eight  hundred  and  fifteen  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Enosh 
were  nine  hundred  and  five  years ;  and  he  died.  And 
Kenan  lived  seventy  years  and  begat  Mahalalel.  And 
Kenan  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Mahalalel  eight 
7  Adam. 


ON  GENESIS. 


175 


V.] 

hundred  and  forty  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 

And  all  the  days  of  Kenan  were  nine  hundred  and  ten 
years  ;  and  he  died.  And  Mahalalel  lived  sixty-five 
years,  and  begat  Jared.  And  Mahalalel  lived  after  he 
had  begotten  Jared  eight  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of 
Mahalalel  were  eight  hundred  and  ninety-five  years ;  and 
he  died.  And  Jared  lived  a  hundred  and  sixty-two 
years,  and  begat  Hanok.  And  Jared  lived  after  he  had 
begotten  Hanok  eight  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Jared  were  nine 
hundred  and  sixty -two  years  ;  and  he  died.  And 
Hanok  lived  sixty-five  years,  and  begat  Methushelach. 

And  Hanok  worshipped 8  in  truth  before  the  Lord  after 
he  had  begotten  Methushelach  three  hundred  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Hanok 
with  the  sojourners  of  the  earth  were  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  years.  And  Hanok  served  in  the  truth 
before  the  Lord;  and,  behold,  he  was  not  with  the 
sojourners  of  the  earth  ;  for  he  was  withdrawn,  and 
he  ascended  to  the  firmament  by  the  Word  before  the  /^6, 
Lord,  and  his  name  was  called  Metatron  the  Great/^  32  £ 
Saphra. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Hanok  served  in  the  truth  before 
the  Lord ;  and,  behold,  he  was  not ;  for  he  was  with¬ 
drawn  by  the  Word  from  before  the  Lord.] 

And  Methushelach  lived  a  hundred  and  eighty-seven 
years,  and  begat  Lemek.  And  Methushelach  lived  after 
he  had  begotten  Lemek  seven  hundred  and  eighty-two 
years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days 
of  Methushelach  were  nine  hundred  and  two  and  sixty 
and  nine  years ; 9  and  he  died.  And  Lemek  lived  a 
hundred  and  eighty-two  years,  and  begat  a  son ;  and 

8  Or,  “  served.” 

9  Tesha  meah ,  vetarteen  veshittin ,  utesha  shenin. 


176  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

he  called  his  name  Noah,  (Consolation,)  saying,  This 
shall  console  us  for  our  works  that  are  not  prosperous, 
and  for  the  labour  of  our  hands  with  the  earth  which 
the  Lord  hath  cursed  on  account  of  the  guilt  of  the 
sons  of  men.  And  Lemek  lived  after  he  had  begotten 
Noah  five  hundred  and  ninety  and  five  years,  and  begat 
sons  and  daughters.  And  all  the  days  of  Lemek  were 
seven  hundred  and  seventy  and  seven  years ;  and  he 
died.  And  Noah  was  the  son  of  five  hundred  years, 
and  Noah  begat  Shem,  Cham,  and  Japhet. 

VI.  And  it  was  when  the  sons  of  men  began  to 
multiply  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  fair  daughters 
were  born  to  them ;  and  the  sons  of  the  great  saw  that 
the  daughters  of  men  were  beautiful,  and  painted,  and 
curled,  walking  with  revelation  of  the  flesh,  and  with 
imaginations  of  wickedness ;  that  they  took  them  wives 
of  all  who  pleased  them.  And  the  Lord  said  by  His 
Word,  All  the  generations  of  the  wicked  which  are  to 
arise  shall  not  be  purged  after  the  order  of  the  judg¬ 
ments  of  the  generation  of  the  deluge,  which  shall  be 
destroyed  and  exterminated  from  the  midst  of  the  world. 
Have  I  not  imparted  My  Holy  Spirit  to  them,  (or, 
placed  My  Holy  Spirit  in  them,)  that  they  may  work 
good  works  ?  and,  behold,  their  works  are  wicked. 
Behold,  I  will  give  them  a  prolongment  of  a  hundred 
and  twenty  years,  that  they  may  work  repentance,  and 
not  perish. 

[Jerusalem.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said,  The 
generations  which  are  to  arise  shall  not  be  judged  after 
(the  manner  of)  the  generation  of  the  deluge,  (which  is) 
to  be  destroyed,  and  exterminated,  and  finally  blotted 
out.  Have  I  not  imparted  My  Spirit  to  the  sons  of 
men,  because  they  are  flesh,  that  they  may  work  good 
works  ?  But  they  do  works  of  evil.  Behold,  I  have 
given  them  a  prolongment  of  a  hundred  and  twenty 


0 N  GENESIS. 


VI.] 


177 


years,  that  they  may  work  repentance ;  but  they  have 
not  done  it.] 

Schamchazai  and  Uzziel,  who  fell  from  heaven,  were 
on  the  earth  in  those  days ;  and  also,  after  the  sons  of 
the  Great  had  gone  in  with  the  daughters  of  men,  they 
bare  to  them  :  and  these  are  they  who  are  called  men 
who  are  of  the  world,1  men  of  names. 

And  the  Lord  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
great  in  the  earth,  and  all  the  imagery  of  the  thought 
of  his  heart  was  only  evil  every  day.  And  it  repented 
the  Lord  in  His  Word  that  He  had  made  man  upon  the 
earth ;  and  He  passed  judgment  upon  them  by  His  Word. 

[Jehu salem.  And  there  was  repentance  before  the 
Lord  ih  His  Word  that  He  had  made  man  upon  the 
earth... And  He  said,  and  judged  in  His  heart.] 

And  the  Lord  said,  I  will  abolish  by  My  Word  man, 
whom  I  have  created  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  from 
man  to  cattle,  to  the  reptile,  and  to  the  fowl  of  the 
heavens;  because  I  have  repented  in  My  Word  that  I 
have  made  them.  But  Noah,  who  was  righteous,  found 
favour  before  the  Lord. 

[Jerusalem.  But  Noah,  because  he  was  righteous 
in  his  generation,  found  favour  and  mercy  before  the 

Lord.] 


SECTION  II. 

TOLEDOTH. 

These  are  the  genealogies  of  the  race  of  Noah. 
Noah  was  a  just  man,  complete  in  good  works  in  his 
generation,  (and)  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  walked  Noah, 


1  Gibreen  demealma. 


178  TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Noah  begat  three  sons,  Shem,  Cham,  and 
Japheth. 

And  the  earth  was  corrupted  through  the  inhabitants 
thereof,  who  had  declined  from  the  ways  of  righteous¬ 
ness  before  the  Lord ;  and  the  earth  was  filled  with 
rapine.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  earth  was  filled  with 
violences  and  frauds.]  And  the  Lord  beheld  the  earth  ; 
and,  lo,  it  was  corrupt  ;  for  all  flesh  had  every  one 
corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth. 

Aud  the  Lord  said  to  Noah,  The  end  of  all  flesh 
cometh  before  Me,  because  the  earth  is  filled  with  rapine 
by  their  evil  works ;  and,  behold,  I  will  destroy  them 
with  the  earth.  Make  thee  an  ark  of  the  wood  of 
cedars ;  a  hundred  and  fifty  cells  shalt  thou  make  to 
the  ark  in  its  left  side,  and  thirty  and  six  in  its  breadth ; 
and  ten  cabins  in  the  midst,  to  lay  up  in  them  provision ; 
and  five  repositories  on  the  right,  and  five  on  the  left ; 
and  thou  shalt  protect  it  within  and  without  with  pitch. 
Go  thou  unto  Phison,  and  take  from  thence  a  precious 
stone,  and  fix  it  in  the  ark  to  illuminate  you  :  with  the 
measure  of  a  cubit  (or  span)  shalt  thou  complete  it 
above.  And  a  door  shalt  thou  set  in  the  side  of  the 
ark ;  and  with  dwelling-places,  inferior,  second,  and 
third,  shalt  thou  make  it.  And  I,  behold,  I  bring  a 
flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth  to  swallow  up  all  flesh 
which  hath  in  it  the  spirit  of  life  from  under  the 
heavens  :  whatever  is  upon  the  earth  shall  be  swept 
away.  But  I  will  establish  my  covenant  with  thee ; 
and  thou  shalt  go  into  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  sons,  and 
thy  wife,  and  the  wives  of  thy  sons  with  thee.  And  of 
all  that  liveth  of  all  flesh,  two  of  every  (kind)  shall  go 
into  the  ark,  to  be  preserved  alive  with  thee :  male  and 
female  shall  they  be.  Of  the  fowl  after  its  kind,  and 
of  all  cattle  after  its  kind,  and  of  every  reptile  of  the 
earth  after  its  kind,  two  of  every  (sort)  shall  enter  to 


ON  GENESIS. 


179 


VII.] 


thee  by  the  hand  of  the  angel,  who  will  take  and  cause 
them  to  enter  to  thee,  to  be  preserved.  And  thou, 
take  to  thee  of  all  food  that  is  eaten,  and  let  it  be  to 
thee  and  to  them  for  food.  And  Noah  did  according  to 
all  that  the  Lord  had  instructed  him. 

VII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Noah,  Enter,  thou,  and 
every  one  of  thy  house,  into  the  ark ;  for  thee  have  I 
seen  righteous  before  me  in  this  generation.  Of  all 
clean  cattle  take  thou  seven  by  seven,  male  and  female, 
and  of  all  cattle  not  clean,  two  (and  two),  male  and 
female.  But  of  birds  of  the  heaven,  seven  by  seven, 
male  and  female,  to  preserve  from  them  seed  upon  the 
earth.  Eor,  behold,  I  give  you  space  of  seven  days ;  if 
they  will  be  converted,  it  shall  be  forgiven  them  ;  but  if 
they  will  not  be  converted,  after  a  time  of  days  yet 
seven,  I  will  cause  rain  to  come  down  upon  the  earth 
forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and  will  destroy  all  bodies 
of  man  and  of  beast  upon  the  earth.  And  Noah  did 
according  to  all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded  him. 
And  Noah  was  the  son  of  six  hundred  years  when  the 
deluge  of  waters  was  upon  the  earth.  And  Noah 
entered,  and  his  sons  and  his  wife  and  the  wives  of  his 
sons  with  him,  into  the  ark,  from  before  the  waters  of 
the  deluge.  Of  all  cattle  clean,  and  of  cattle  unclean, 
of  birds,  and  of  whatever  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  two 
and  two  they  entered  unto  Noah  into  the  ark,  male 
and  female,  as  the  Lord  had  instructed  Noah. 

And  it  was  at  the  time  of  seven  days  after  the  con¬ 
clusion  of  the  mourning  for  Methushelach,  that  the 
Lord  beheld,  and,  lo,  the  sons  of  men  had  not  turned. 
And  the  waters  of  the  deluge  came  down  hotly 3  from 
the  heavens  upon  the  earth.  In  the  six-hundredth 
year  of  the  life  of  Noah,  in  the  second  month,  which 


2  Rethichin,  “  boiling.”  The  Midrash  says,  that  “  the  generation  of 
the  flood  was  chastised  with  scalding  water.” 


180  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

was  the  month  of  Marchesvan,3  for  hitherto  the  months 
had  been  numbered  from  Tishri 4  which  was  the  begin¬ 
ning  of  the  year  at  the  completion  of  the  world,  in  the 
seventeenth  day  of  the  month,  in  that  day  were  all  the 
fountains  of  the  great  deep  broken  up.  And  the 
giants  were  gathered  there  together  with  their  sons 
and  perturbed  them,  and  afterwards  the  windows  of 
heaven  were  opened.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  windows 
of  heaven  were  opened.]  And  the  rain  came  down 
upon  the  earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights.  In  that 
same  day  entered  Noah,  and  Shem,  and  Cham,  and 
Yapheth,  the  sons  of  Noah,  and  the  wife  of  Noah,  and 
the  three  wives  of  his  sons  with  him,  into  the  ark :  they, 
and  every  animal  after  his  kind,  and  all  cattle  after 
their  kind,  and  every  reptile  that  creepeth  upon  the 
earth  after  his  kind,  and  every  fowl  after  its  kind, 
every  bird  which  flieth.  And  they  entered  to  Noah 
into  the  ark,  two  and  two  of  all  flesh  in  which  was  the 
breath  of  life.  And  they  coming  entered,  male  and 
female,  of  all  flesh  unto  him,  as  the  Lord  had  instructed 
him ;  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  covered  over  the 
door  of  the  ark  upon  the  face  thereof.  [Jerusalem. 
And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  merciful  upon  him.] 
And  there  was  a  flood  forty  days  upon  the  earth,  and 
the  waters  were  multiplied  and  bare  up  the  ark,  and  it 
was  lifted  from  the  earth.  And  the  waters  waxed 
mighty  and  increased  greatly  upon  the  earth,  and  the 
ark  went  floating  upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  And 
the  waters  prevailed  greatly  upon  the  earth,  and  all  the 
high  hills  .which  were  under  the  heavens  were  covered: 
fifteen  cubits  higher  did  the  waters  prevail,  and  the 
mountains  were  covered.  And  all  flesh  expired  which 
moveth  upon  the  earth ;  of  fowl,  and  of  cattle,  and  of 
wild  beasts,  and  every  moving  thing  that  moveth  upon 
3  November.  4  October. 


ON  GENESIS. 


181 


VIII.] 


the  earth,  and  all  the  sons  of  men, — every  thing  in 
whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  life,  of  all  on  the  dry 
land,  died.  And  all  the  bodies  of  men  and  of  beasts 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  from  man  to  cattle,  to  creep¬ 
ing  thing,  and  to  the  fowl  which  wingeth  in  the  air  of 
heaven,  perished  from  the  earth  ;  and  Noah  only  was 
left,  and  they  who  were  with  him  in  the  ark.  And  the 
waters  prevailed  upon  the  earth  a  hundred  and  fifty 
days. 

YITT.  And  the  Lord  in  His  Word  remembered 
Noah,  and  all  the  animals  and  the  cattle  which  were 
with  him  in  the  ark ;  and  the  Lord  caused  the  wind 
of  mercies  to  pass  over  the  earth,  and  the  waters  were 
dried.  [Jerusalem.  And  He  remembered  in  His 
mercies  the  good  which  was  with  Noah.  And  the 
Lord  caused  the  wind  of  mercies.]  And  the  fountains 
of  the  deep  were  shut  up,  and  the  windows  of  heaven, 
and  the  rain  was  forbidden  to  descend  from  heaven. 
And  the  waters  returned  from  being  on  the  earth, 
going  and  returning.  And  the  waters  were  minished 
at  the  end  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  days.  And  the  ark 
rested  in  the  seventh  month,  which  is  the  month  of 
Nisan,  in  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month,  upon  the 
mountains  of  Qadron ;  the  name  of  the  one  mountain  is 
Qardania/  and  the  name  of  the  other  mountain 
Irmenia ;  and  there  was  builded  the  city  of  Armenia  in 
the  land  of  the  east.  And  the  waters  went  and  dimi¬ 
nished  until  the  tenth  month,  the  month  Tammuz.  In 
Tammuz,  in  the  first  of  the  month,  the  heads  of  the 
mountains  were  seen.  And  it  was  at  the  end  of  forty 
days,  and  Noah  opened  the  aperture  of  the  ark  which 
he  had  made.  And  he  sent  out  a  raven ;  and  it  went 
forth,  going  forth  and  returning,  until  the  waters  had 
dried  from  the  earth.  And  he  sent  forth  a  house-dove 


s  Or,  “  Kurdania” 


182  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

from  being  with  him,  to  see  whether  the  waters  were 
lightened  from  off  the  faces  of  the  earth.  And  the 
dove  found  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  the  foot,  and  returned 
unto  him  to  the  ark ;  and  he  knew  that  the  waters  were 
(yet)  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth.  And  he  reached 
out  his  hand,  and  took  and  brought  her  unto  him  into 
the  ark.  And  he  prolonged  (waited)  yet  seven  days, 
[Jerusalem.  And  he  began  to  number,]  and  again  he 
sent  the  dove  from  the  ark.  And  the  dove  came  to 
him  at  the  evening  time,  and,  behold,  a  leaf  of  olive 
gathered,  broken  off,  she  brought  in  her  mouth,  and 
which  she  had  taken  from  the  Mount  of  the  Meshiha.® 
And  Noah  understood  that  the  waters  had  lightened 
from  being  on  the  earth.  And  he  prolonged  yet  seven 
days,  and  added  to  send  forth  the  dove ;  but  she  added 
not  to  return  to  him  again.  And  it  was  in  the  six 
hundred  and  first  year,  in  Tishri,  in  the  first  of  the 
month,  in  the  beginning  of  the  year,  that  the  waters 
were  dried  from  upon  the  earth.  And  Noah  removed 
the  covering  of  the  ark,  and  saw  the  faces  of  the  ground 
to  be  dried.  And  in  the  month  Marchesvan,  in  the 
twenty-seventh  day  of  the  month,  the  earth  was  dry. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Noah,  saying  :  Go  forth 
from  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  sons,  and  the 
wives  of  thy  sons,  with  thee.  Every  living  animal  that 
is  with  thee  of  all  flesh,  of  fowl,  of  cattle,  and  of  every 
reptile  that  creepeth  on  the  earth,  bring  forth  with  thee, 
that  they  may  produce  in  the  earth,  and  spread  abroad 
and  multiply  on  the  earth.  And  Noah  went  forth,  and 
his  sons,  and  his  wife,  and  the  wives  of  his  sons,  with 
him.  Every  animal,  every  reptile,  and  every  bird, 
which  moveth  upon  the  earth,  according  to  its  seed, 
went  forth  from  the  ark. 

And  Noah  budded  the  altar  before  the  Lord ;  that 


‘  The  Mount  of  Olives. 


ON  GENESIS. 


183 


IX.] 

altar  which  Adam  had  builded  in  the  time  when  he  was 
cast  forth  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  had  offered  an 
oblation  upon  it ;  and  upon  it  had  Kain  and  Habel 
offered  their  oblations.  But  when  the  waters  of  the 
deluge  descended,  it  was  destroyed,  and  Noah  rebuilded 
it ;  and  he  took  of  all  clean  cattle,  and  of  all  clean  fowl, 
and  sacrificed  four  upon  that  altar.  And  the  Lord 
accepted  his  oblation  with  favour  :  and  the  Lord  said  in 
His  Word,  I  will  not  add  again  to  curse  the  earth  on 
account  of  the  sin  of  the  children  of  men;  for  the 
imagination  of  the  heart  of  man  is  evil  from  his  youth ; 
neither  will  I  add  to  destroy  whatever  livetli  as  I  have 
done.  Until  all  the  days  of  the  earth,  sowing  in  the 
season7  of  Tishri,  and  harvest  in  the  season  of  Nisan, 
and  coldness  in  the  season  of  Tebeth,  and  warmth  in 
the  season  of  Tammuz,  and  summer  and  winter,  and 
days  and  nights  shall  not  fail.  [Jerusalem.  Until  all 
the  days  of  the  earth  from  now,  sowing  and  reaping, 
and  cold  and  heat,  and  days  and  nights  shall  not  cease.] 

IX.  And  the  Lord  blessed  Noah,  and  his  sons,  and 
said  to  them,  Spread  forth  and  multiply,  and  replenish 
the  earth.  And  the  fear  of  you  and  the  dread  of  you 
shall  be  upon  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  on  every  fowl 
of  the  heavens  ;  of  all  that  the  earth  swarmeth  forth,  and 
all  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  into  your  hand  are  they  deli¬ 
vered.  Every  moving  thing  which  liveth  to  you  shall 
be  for  food  :  as  the  green  herb  have  I  given  to  you  the 
whole.  But  flesh  which  is  torn  of  the  living  beast, 
what  time  the  life  is  in  it,  or  that  torn  from  a  slaughtered 
animal  before  all  the  breath  has  gone  forth,  you  shall 
noteat.  But  the  blood  of  your  lives  will  I  require8 
of  every  animal  which  hath  killed  a  man,  I  will  require 

7  Tequpha,  “course,  revolution  of  nature,  season.”  Vide  Castel, 
col.  3305. 

8  Or,  “  demand  retribution.” 


184  TAUGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

that  it  be  put  to  death  on  his  account.  And  from  the 
hand  of  the  human  being,  from  the  hand  of  the  man 
who  hath  shed  the  blood  of  his  brother,  will  I  require 
the  life  of  man.  Whoso  sheddeth  the  blood  of  man, 
the  judges,  by  witnesses,  shall  condemn  him  unto 
death ;  but  he  who  sheddeth  it  without  witnesses,  the 
Lord  of  the  world  will  bring  punishment  on  him  in  the 
day  of  the  great  judgment;  because  in  the  image  of 
the  Lord  He  made  man.  And  you,  spread  yourselves 
abroad  and  multiply;  bring  forth  in  the  earth,  and 
increase  in  it. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Noah,  and  to  his  sons  with 
him,  saying,  I,  behold,  I  establish  my  covenant  with 
you,  and  with  your  children  after  you ;  and  with  every 
living  soul  that  is  with  you,  of  birds,  and  of  cattle,  and 
of  every  beast  of  the  earth  that  is  with  you,  of  all  that 
go  forth  from  the  ark,  of  every  beast  of  the  earth.  And 
I  will  establish  my  covenant  with  you,  and  will  not 
again  cause  all  flesh  to  perish  by  the  waters  of  a  flood ; 
and  there  shall  not  again  be  a  flood  to  destroy  the 
earth. 

And  the  Lord  said.  This  is  the  sign  of  the  covenant 
which  I  establish  between  My  Word  and  between  you 
and  every  living  soul  that  is  with  you,  unto  the  genera¬ 
tions  of  the  world.  I  have  set  My  Bow  in  the  cloud, 
and  it  shall  be  for  a  token  of  the  covenant  between  My 
Word  and  the  earth.  And  it  shall  be  that  when  I 
spread  forth  My  glorious  cloud  over  the  earth,  the  bow 
shall  be  seen  in  the  day  (time),  while  the  sun  is  not 
sunk  (or  hidden)  in  a  cloud.  And  I  will  remember  My 
covenant  which  is  between  My  Word  and  between  you 
and  every  living  soul  of  all  flesh,  that  there  shall  not  be 
the  waters  of  a  flood  to  destroy  all  flesh.  And  the  bow 
shall  be  in  the  cloud,  and  I  will  look  upon  it,  to  remem¬ 
ber  the  everlasting  covenant  between  the  Word  of  the 


ON  GENESIS. 


185 


IX.] 

Lord  and  every  living  soul  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the 
earth.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Noah,  This  is  the  sign 
of  the  covenant  that  I  have  covenanted  between  My 
Word  and  between  the  word  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon 
the  earth. 

And  the  sons  of  Noah  who  went  forth  from  the  ark 
were  Shem,  Cham,  and  Japhet;  and  Cham  is  the  father 
of  Kenaan.  These  are  the  three  sons  of  Noah,  and 
from  them  they  were  spread  abroad  to  dwell  in  all  the 
earth. 

And  Noah  began  to  be  a  man  working  in  the  earth. 
[Jerusalem.  And  Noah  began  to  be  a  righteous  man, 
and  he  planted  a  vineyard.]  And  he  found  a  vine 
which  the  river  had  brought  away  from  the  garden  of 
Eden ;  and  he  planted  it  in  a  vineyard,  and  it  flourished 
in  a  day ;  and  its  grapes  became  ripe,  and  he  pressed 
them  out.  And  he  drank  of  the  wine8  and  was 
drunken ;  and  he  made  himself  naked  in  the  midst  of 
his  tent.  And  Cham,  the  father  of  Kenaan,  beheld  the 
nakedness  of  his  father,  and  showed  to  his  brethren 
without.  And  Shem  and  Japhet  took  a  mantle,  and 
bare  it  upon  the  shoulders  of  each,  and  went  backward, 
and  covered  the  nakedness  of  their  father ;  and  their 
faces  were  turned  back,  and  the  nakedness  of  their 
father  they  did  not  behold.  And  Noach  awoke  from 
his  wine,  and  knew,  by  the  relation  of  a  dream,  what 
had  been  done  to  him  by  Cham  his  son,  who  was  infe¬ 
rior  in.  worth,  on  the  account  that  he  had  not  begotten 
a  fourth  son.  And  he  said.  Accursed  is  Kenaan  who  is 
his  fourth  son,  a  serving  servant  shall  he  be  to  his 
brethren.  And  he  said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  the  God 
of  Shem,  whose  work  is  righteous ;  and  therefore  shall 
Kenaan  be  servant  unto  him.  The  Lord  shall  beautify 
the  borders  of  Japhet,  and  his  sons  shall  be  proselyted 
9  Chamra ,  “  red  wine.” 


186  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  dwell  in  the  schools  of  Shem,  and  Kenaan  shall  be 
a  servant  to  them.  And  Noach  lived  after  the  deluge 
three  hundred  and  fifty  years.  And  all  the  days  of 
Noach  were  nine  hundred  and  fifty  years;  and  he  died. 

X.  These  are  the  generations  of  the  sons  of  Noach, 
and  (of  the)  sons  (who)  were  born  to  them  after  the 
deluge.1  The  sons  of  Japheth,  Gomer,  and  Magog, 
and  Madai,  and  Javan,  and  Thubal,  and  Meshek,  and 
Thiras.  And  the  names  of  their  provinces,3  Afriki,  and 
Germania,  and  Medi,  and  Makadonia,  and  Iatinia,*  and 
Asia,  and  Tharki.  And  the  sons  of  Gomer,  Ashkenaz, 
and  Biphath,  and  Togarma.  And  the  sons  of  Javan, 
Elisha,  Alas,  and  Tarsas,  Akazia,  and  Dordonia. 

[Jerusalem.  The  sons  of  Japheth,  Gomer ;  and  the 
name  of  their  provinces,  Afriki,  and  Garmania,  and 
Madai,  and  Mokdonia,  and  Yatania,  and  Asia,  and 
Tharki.  And  the  sons  of  Gomer,  and  the  name  of 
their  provinces,  Asia  and  Pharkui  (Phrygia  ?)  and  Bar- 
beria.  And  the  sons  of  Javan,  Elisha,  and  the  name 
of  their  provinces,  Alastarasom,  Italia,  and  Dordonia.] 

From  these  were  distributed  the  tribes  of  the  islands 
of  the  Gentiles,  every  one  according  to  his  language,  to 
his  kindred  in  their  nations.  And  the  sons  of  Cham, 
Kush,  and  Mizraim,  and  Phut,  and  Kenaan.  And  the 
name  of  their  provinces,  Arabia,  and  Mizraim,  and 
Alichrok,  and  Kenaan.  And  the  sons  of  Kush,  Seba, 
and  Havilah,  and  Sabta,  and  Baama,  and  Sabteka ;  and 
the  name  of  their  provinces,  Sinirai,  and  Hindiki,  and 
Semadi,  and  Lubai,  and  Zingai.  And  the  sons  of 

On  the  ethnographic  details  of  this  tenth  chapter  of  Genesis,  com¬ 
pare  Midrash  Rabba,  f.  32,  a;  Talmud  Jerus.,  megilla  5,  b;  the  dis¬ 
quisition  of  Leopold  Dukes,  Beitrage  z.  Geschichte  der  altesten 
Auslegung  des  Alten  Test.,  band  ii.,  51 ;  and  that  of  De.  Kalisch,  in 
his  Commentary  on  the  chapter. 

*  Iparkaiolh,  i.  q.  lirapx'ta. 

*  Athenia  ?  We  have  retained  the  uncouth  spelling  of  the  Targumist. 


ON  GENESIS. 


187 


x.] 


Mauritinos,  Zmargad  and  Mezag.  And  Kush  begat 
Nimrod  :  he  began  to  be  mighty  in  sin,  and  to  rebel 
before  the  Lord  in  the  earth.  He  was  a  mighty  rebel 
before  the  Lord ;  therefore  it  is  said,  From  the  day  that 
the  world  was  created  there  hath  not  been  as  Nimrod, 
mighty  in  hunting,  and  a  rebel  before  the  Lord.  And 
the  beginning  of  his  kingdom  was  Bavel  the  Great,  and 
Hadas,  and  Netsibin,  and  Ketispon,  in  the  land  of  Pon- 
tos.  Prom  that  land  went  forth  Nimrod,  and  reigned 
in  Athur,  because  he  would  not  be  in  the  counsel  of  a 
divided  generation.  And  he  left  those  four  cities ;  and 
the  Lord  thereupon  gave  him  a  place ;  and  he  builded 
four  other  cities,  Nineveh  and  Pelatiath,  Kartha  and 
Parioth.  And  Talesar,  which  was  builded  between 
Nineveh  and  Hadiath;  that  is  a  great  city.  And 
Mizraim  begat  the  Nivatee,  and  the  Mariotee,  and  the 
Livakee,  and  the  Pantascinee,  and  the  Pathrosim,  and 
the  Nasiotaee,  and  the  Pantapolotee,  from  whom  went 
forth  the  Philistaee  and  the  Kaphodikaee. 

[Jerusalem.  9.  He  was  mighty  in  hunting  and  in 
sin  before  the  Lord ;  for  he  was  a  hunter  of  the  sons 
of  men  in  their  languages.  And  he  said  to  them, 
Leave  the  judgments  of  Shem,  and  adhere  to  the 
judgments  of  Nimrod.  On  this  account  it  is  said. 
As  Nimrod  the  mighty,  mighty  in  hunting  and  in 

sin  before  the  Lord . 10.  And  the  beginning  of 

his  kingdom  was  Bavel,  and  Hadas,  and  Netsibin, 
and  Katispa  in  the  land  of  Bavel.  11.  Prom  that 
land  he  went  out  towards  Athur,  and  builded  Nineveh, 

and  Pelatiath-Kartha,  and  Hadiath . And  Talesar, 

between  Nineveh  and  Hadiath,  which  is  a  great 

city . 13.  And  Mizraim  begat  the  Mariotaee,  and 

Pentepolitaee,  and  Lusetaee,  and  Pelusaee,  and  the  Pan- 
taskenaee,  from  whom  went  forth  the  Philistaee  and 
Kapodekaee.] 


188  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Kenaan  begat  Zidon  his  firstborn,  and  Heth, 
and  the  Jebusaee,  and  the  Emoraee,  and  the  Gergeshaee, 
and  the  Hivaee,  and  the  Irkaee,  and  the  Antosaee,  and 
the  Lutasaee,  and  the  Chomtsaee,  and  the  Antekoee; 
and  after  then  the  seed  of  the  Kenaanaee  were 
scattered. 

[Jerusalem.  17.  And  the  Tripolaee,  and  the 
Arkaee,  and  the  Kaphrusaee.  And  the  Antridanaee, 
and  the  Chamatsaee,  and  the  Antukeia :  from  Bavel, 
after  then,  were  distinguished  the  islands  of  the  peoples.] 
And  the  limit  of  the  Kenaanaee  w7as  from  Kothanis, 
going  up  to  Gerar,  unto  Azah,  unto  Sedom  and 
Amorah,  Admah  and  Zeboim,  unto  Kaldahi.  These 
are  the  sons  of  Cham,  according  to  the  seed  of  their 
genealogies,  after  their  languages,  in  the  dwelling  of 
their  lands,  in  the  kindred  of  their  people.] 

And  to  Shem  also  was  born  a  son.  He  is  the  father 
of  all  the  sons  of  the  Hebrews,  the  brother  of  Japheth, 
great  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  The  sons  of  Shem  : 
Elim,  and  Athur,  and  Arphakshad,  and  Lud,  and  Aram. 
Arphakshad  begat  Shelach,  and  Shelach  begat  Eber. 
And  to  Eber  were  born  two  sons :  the  name  of  the  one 
was  Peleg,  because  in  his  days  the  earth  was  divided ; 
and  the  name  of  the  other  Joktan.  And  Joktan  begat 
Elmodad,  who  measured  (or  lined)  the  earth  with  lines ; 
and  Shaleph,  who  led  forth  the  waters  of  rivers,  and 
Chatsarmaveth,  and  Jarach,  and  Harodam,  and  Uzal, 
and  Dikla,  and  Oval,  and  Avimael,  and  Sheba,  and 
Ophir,  and  Havila,  and  Jobab.  All  these  are  the  sons 
of  Joktan.  And  the  house  of  their  dwelling  was  from 
Mesha,  by  which  thou  goest  up  to  Sepharvae,  a  moun¬ 
tain  of  the  east.  These  are  the  sons  of  Shem,  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  houses,  in  the  dwelling  of  their  lauds, 
according  to  the  kindred  of  their  people.  These  are 
the  houses  of  the  sons  of  Noah,  according  to  their 


XI.]  ON  GENESIS.  189 

houses  in  their  peoples,  and  from  them  are  the  peoples 
distinguished  in  the  earth  after  the  deluge. 

XI.  And  all  the  earth  was  (of)  one  language,  and 
one  speech,  and  one  counsel.  In  the  holy  language 
spake  they,  that  by  which  the  world  had  been  created 
at  the  beginning.  And  it  was  while  they  were  journey¬ 
ing  from  the  east  that  they  found  a  plain  in  the  land 
of  Bavel,  and  dwelt  there. 

[Jerusalem.  And  all  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth 
were  (of)  one  language,  and  of  one  speech,  and  one 
counsel :  for  they  spake  the  holy  language  by  which 
the  world  was  created  at  the  beginning :  while  their 
hearts  erred  afterwards  from  the  Word  of  Him  who 
spake,  and  the  world  was,  at  the  beginning ;  and  they 
found  a  plain  in  the  land  of  Pontos  and  dwelt  there.] 

And  they  said,  a  man  to  his  fellow,  Come,  we  will 
cast  bricks,  and  put  them  in  the  furnace.  And  they 
had  brick  for  stone,  and  slime  for  cement.  And  they 
said,  Come,  we  will  build  us  a  city  and  a  tower,  and  the 
head  of  it  shall  come  to  the  summit  of  the  heavens ;  and 
we  will  make  us  (an  image  for)  worship  on  the  top  of 
it,  and  put  a  sword  in  his  hand  to  act  against  the  array 
of  war,  before  that  we  be  scattered  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.  And  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  punish  them  for 
the  work  of  the  city  and  the  tower  which  the  sons  of  men 
builded. 

[Jerusalem.  And  they  said,  Come  now,  and  we 
will  build  us  a  city  and  a  tower,  and  the  head  of  it  shall 
reach  to  the  summit  of  the  heavens,  and  we  will  make 

us  in  it  a  house  of  worship  at  the  top, . and  we  will 

put  a  sword  in  his  hand,  lest  there  be  set  against  him 
the  array  of  war,  before  we  be  scattered  upon  the  face 
of  all  the  earth.] 

And  the  Lord  said,  Behold,  the  people  is  one,  and  the 
language  of  all  of  them  one :  and  this  they  have  thought 


190  TAUGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

to  do :  and  now  they  will  not  be  restrained  from  doing 
whatever  they  imagine.  And  the  Lord  said  to  the 
seventy  angels  which  stand  before  Him,  Come,  we  will 
descend  and  will  there  commingle  their  language,  that  a 
man  shall  not  understand  the  speech  of  his  neighbour. 
And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  revealed  against  the 
city,  and  with  Him  seventy  angels,  having  reference  to 
seventy  nations,  each  having  its  own  language,  and  thence 
the  writing  of  its  own  hand  :  and  He  dispersed  them 
from  thence  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth  into  seventy 
languages.  And  one  knew  not  what  his  neighbour 
would  say:  but  one  slew  the  other;  and  they  ceased 
from  building  the  city.  Therefore  He  called  the  name 
of  it  Bavel,4  because  there  did  the  Lord  commingle  the 
speech  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  from 
thence  did  the  Lord  disperse  them  upon  the  faces  of  all 
the  earth. 

These  are  the  generations  of  Shem.  Shem  was  a  son 
of  a  hundred  years,  and  he  begat  Arphakshad,  two  years 
after  the  deluge.  And  Shem  lived  after  he  had  begotten 
Arphakshad  five  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters.  And  Arphakshad  lived  thirty  and  five  years, 
and  begat  Shelach.  And  Arphakshad  lived  after  he  had 
begotten  Shelach  four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  Shelach  lived  thirty 
years,  and  begat  Eber.  And  Shelach  lived  after  he  had 
begotten  Eber  four  hundred  and  three  years,  and  begat 
sons  and  daughters.  And  Eber  lived  thirty-four  years, 
and  begat  Peleg.  And  Eber  lived  after  he  had  begotten 
Peleg  four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.  And  Peleg  lived  thirty  years,  and  begat 
Reu.  And  Peleg  lived  after  he  had  begotten  Reu  two 
hundred  and  nine  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. 
And  Reu  lived  thirty -two  years,  and  begat  Serug.  And 

4  “Confusion.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


191 


XI.] 

Eeu  lived  after  lie  had  begotten  Serug  two  hundred  and 
seven  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  Serug 
lived  thirty  years,  and  begat  Nahor.  And  Serug  lived 
after  he  had  begotten  Nahor  two  hundred  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  Nahor  lived  twenty- 
nine  years,  and  begat  Terah.  And  Nahor  lived  after  he 
had  begotten  Terah  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  Terah  lived  seventy 
years,  and  begat  Abram  and  Nahor  and  Haran. 

These  are  the  generations  of  Terah.  Terah  begat 
Abram,  Nahor,  and  Haran ;  and  Haran  begat  Lot.  And  it 
was  when  Nimrod  had  cast  Abram  into  the  furnace  of  fire 
because  he  would  not  worship  his  idol,  and  the  fire  had  no 
power  to  burn  him,5  that  Haran' s  heart  became  doubtful, 
saying,  If  Nimrod  overcome,  I  will  be  on  his  side:  but  if 
Abram  overcome,  I  will  be  on  his  side.  And  when  all  the 
people  who  were  there  saw  that  the  fire  had  no  power  over 
Abram,  they  said  in  their  hearts,  Is  not  Haran  the  brother 
of  Abram  full  of  divinations  and  charms,  and  has  he  not 

5  "Abram,  being  brought  before  Nimrod,  was  required  by  the  tyrant 
to  worship  the  fire.  e  Great  king/  said  the  father  of  the  faithful,  ‘  would  it 
not  be  better  to  worship  water  ?  It  is  mightier  than  fire,  having  the  power 
to  quench  it/  ‘Worship  the  water  then/  said  Nimrod.  Abram. 

*  Methinks  it  would  be  more  reasonable  to  worship  the  clouds,  since  they 
carry  the  waters,  and  pour  them  down  on  the  earth.’  Nimrod.  ‘Well, 
then,  worship  the  clouds,  which,  by  thy  own  confession,  have  so  great 
power.’  Abram.  ‘  Nay,  if  power  is  to  be  the  object  of  worship,  the  prefer¬ 
ence  should  be  given  to  the  wind,  which  by  its  greater  force  drives  the 
clouds  before  it.’  Nimrod.  *  I  see  we  shall  never  have  done  with  this 
babbler.  Worship  the  wind,  then,  and  we  will  forgive  thy  former 
profaueness.’  Abram.  *  Be  not  angry,  great  king :  I  cannot  worship  the 
fire,  nor  the  water,  nor  the  clouds,  nor  the  wind,  nor  any  of  the  things 
that  thou  callest  gods.  The  power  they  possess  is  derived  from  a  Being 
who  has  all  power  and  mercy  and  love :  the  Creator  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  Him  only  will  I  worship.’  ‘Then,’  said  the  king,  ‘since 
thou  hast  refused  to  adore  the  fire,  thou  shalt  know  for  thyself  its  mighty 
force.’  So  Abram  was  thrown  into  a  fiery  furnace,  but  God  delivered 
him  from  its  flames.” — Bereshith  Rabbet,. 


192  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

uttered  spells  over  the  fire  that  it  should  not  burn  his 
brother  ?  Immediately  ( min  yad ,  out  of  hand)  there  fell 
fire  from  the  high  heavens  and  consumed  him;  and  Haran 
died  in  the  sight  of  Terah  his  father,  where  he  was  burned 
in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  in  the  furnace  of  fire  which 
the  Kasdai  had  made  for  Abram  his  brother. 

And  Abram  and  Nahor  took  to  them  wives:  the  name 
of  Abram's  wife  was  Sara,  and  the  name  of  the  wife  of 
Nahor,  Milcha,  the  daughter  of  Haran,  the  father  of 
Milcha  and  the  father  of  Iska,  who  is  Sara.  And  Sara 
was  barren,  she  had  no  child.  [Jerusalem.  And 
Sara  was  barren,  she  had  no  son.]  And  Terah  took 
Abram  his  son,  and  Lot  bar  Haran,  the  son  of  his  son, 
and  his  daughter-in-law  Sara  the  wife  of  Abram  his  son, 
and  went  forth  with  them  from  Ura  of  the  Kasdai,  to 
go  to  the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  they  came  unto  Haran, 
and  dwelt  there.  And  the  days  of  Terah  were  two 
hundred  and  five  years.  And  Terah  died  in  Haran. 


SECTION  III. 

LECH  LECHA. 

XII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abram,  Go  thou  from 
thy  land ;  separate  thyself  from  thy  kindred ;  go  forth 
from  the  house  of  thy  father;  go  into  the  land  which  I 
will  show  thee.  And  I  will  make  thee  a  great  people, 
and  will  bless  thee,  and  magnify  thy  name,  and  thou 
shalt  be  blessed. 

[Jerusalem.  And  I  will  constitute  thee  a  great 
people,  and  I  will  bless  thee;  and  Abram  shall  be 
strengthened  with  many  blessings.] 


ON  GENESIS. 


193 


XII.] 

And  I  will  bless  the  priests  who  will  spread  forth 
their  hands  in  prayer,  and  bless  thy  sons ;  and  Bileam, 
who  will  curse  them,  I  will  curse,  and  they  shall  slay 
him  with  the  mouth  of  the  sword ;  and  in  thee  shall  be 
blessed  all  the  generations  of  the  earth.  [Jerusalem. 
And  I  will  bless  him  who  blesseth  thee,  and  he  who 
curseth  thee  shall  be  accursed ;  and  in  thy  righteous¬ 
ness  shall  all  the  generations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.] 
And  Abram  went,  according  as  the  Lord  had  spoken 
with  him,  and  Lot  went  with  him.  And  Abram  was 
the  son  of  seventy  and  five  years  at  his  going  forth  from 
Haran.  And  Abram  took  Sara  his  wife,  and  Lot  his 
brother's  son,  and  all  the  substance  which  they  had 
acquired,  and  the  souls  whom  they  had  proselyted  in 
Haran,  and  went  forth  to  go  to  the  land  of  Kenaan. 
And  they  came  to  the  land  of  Kenaan.  [Jerusalem. 
And  the  souls  of  the  proselytes.]  And  Abram  passed 
through  the  land  unto  the  place  of  Shekem,  unj/b  the 
plain  which  had  been  showed.  [Jerusalem.  The  plain 
(or  valley)  of  vision.]  And  the  Kenaanites  were  then 
in  the  land ;  for  the  time  had  not  yet  come  that  the 
sons  of  Israel  should  possess  it.  And  the  Lord  was 
revealed  unto  Abram,  and  said,  To  thy  sons  will  I  give 
this  land.  And  he  budded  there  an  altar  before  the 
Lord,  who  was  revealed  to  him.  And  he  went  up  from 
thence  to  a  mountain  which  was  eastward  of  Bethel,  and 
outspread  his  tent,  having  Bethel  on  the  west  and  Ai  on 
the  east ;  and  he  builded  there  an  altar  before  the  Lord, 
and  prayed  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord.  And  Abram 
migrated,  going  and  migrating  unto  the  south. 

And  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land,  and  Abram  w^ent 
down  into  Mizraim  to  be  a  dweller  there,  because  the  famine 
was  strong  in  the  land.  And  it  was,  as  he  approached 
to  enter  the  limit  of  Mizraim,  and  they  had  come  to  the 
river,  and  were  uncovering  their  flesh  to  pass  over,  that 


194  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Abram  said  to  Sara  his  wife,  Behold,  until  this  I  have 
not  beheld  thy  flesh ;  but  now  I  know  that  thou  art  a 
woman  of  fair  aspect.  It  will  be,  therefore,  when  the 
Mizraee  see  thee,  and  view  thy  beauty,  that  they  will 
say,  This  is  his  wife ;  and  they  will  kill  me,  and  thee 
will  keep  alive.  Say,  I  pray,  that  thou  art  my  sister, 
that  it  may  be  well  with  me  for  thy  sake,  and  that  my 
life  may  be  spared  on  thy  account.  And  it  was  when 
Abram  had  entered  Mizraim,  the  Mizraee  saw  the 
woman  to  be  very  fair  ;  and  the  princes  of  Pharoh 
beheld  her,  and  praised  her  to  Pharoh ;  and  the  woman 
was  conducted  to  the  royal  house  of  Pharoh.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  the  woman  was  conducted  to  the  palace 
of  Pharoh.]  And  Pharoh  did  good  to  Abram  for  her 
sake  ;  and  he  had  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  asses,  and 
servants,  and  handmaids,  and  she-asses,  and  camels. 
And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  sent  great  plagues  against 
Pharoh  and  the  men  of  his  house,  on  account  of  Sara, 
Abram's  wife.  And  Pharoh  called  Abram,  and  said, 
What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  to  me  ?  Why  saidst 
thou,  She  is  my  sister  ?  When  I  would  take  her  to  me 
to  wife,  plagues  were  at  once  sent  against  me,  and  I 
went  not  unto  her.  And  now  behold  thy  wife,  take 
(her)  and  go.  And  Pharoh  commanded  men  concern¬ 
ing  him,  and  they  led  him  forth,  and  his  wife,  and  all 
that  he  had. 

XIII.  And  Abram  went  up  from  Mizraim,  he  and 
his  wife  (and)  all  that  he  had ;  and  Lot  with  him,  to 
go  to  the  south.  And  Abram  had  become  very  strong 
in  cattle,  in  silver,  and  in  gold.  And  he  proceeded  in 
his  journeyings  from  the  south  unto  Bethel,  and 
returned  to  the  place  where  he  had  outspread  his  taber¬ 
nacle  at  the  first,  between  Bethel  and  Ai,  to  the  place 
of  the  altar  which  he  had  made  there  at  the  beginning ; 
and  Abram  prayed  there  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord. 


ON  GENESIS, 


XIII.] 


195 


And  also  unto  Lot,  who  was  remembered  through  the 
righteousness  of  Abram,  there  were  sheep  and  oxen  and 
tents.  And  the  land  could  not  sustain  them  to  dwell 
together,  because  their  possessions  were  great,  and  they 
were  not  able  to  dwell  together.  And  contentions 
arose  between  the  shepherds  of  Abram's  flock,  and  the 
shepherds  of  the  flocks  of  Lot ;  for  the  shepherds  of 
Abram  had  been  instructed  by  him  not  to  go  among 
the  Kenaanaee  and  the  Pherizaee,  who,  as  yet,  had  power 
in  the  land,  and  to  restrain  the  cattle  that  they  should 
make  no  depredation  in  going  to  the  place  of  their 
pasture  :  but  the  shepherds  of  Lot  would  go  and  feed 
in  the  grounds  of  the  Kenaanaee  and  Pherizaee  who 
yet  dwelt  in  the  land.  [Jerusalem.  6.  Their  trea¬ 
sures.  7.  And  there  was  strife  between  the  shep¬ 
herds  of  Abram's  cattle  and  the  shepherds  of  the  cattle 
of  Lot.  The  shepherds  of  Abram  restrained  their 
beasts  until  the  time  of  their  coming  to  the  place  of 
their  pasture ;  but  the  shepherds  of  Lot  did  not  restrain 
their  beasts,  but  turned  them  free,  and  went.  Put 
Abram's  shepherds  had  been  instructed  by  Abram  their 
righteous  master,  Go  not  to  the  Kenaanaee  and  Phe¬ 
rizaee  ;  for  as  yet  they  have  possession  in  the  land.] 

And  Abram  said  to  Lot,  Between  me  and  thee  let 
there  not  now  be  controversy,  nor  between  my  shepherds 
and  thy  shepherds ;  for  we  are  brother-men.  Is  not  all 
the  land  before  thee  ?  Separate  then  from  me.  If 
thou  to  the  north,  I  to  the  south  :  if  thou  to  the  south, 

I  to  the  north.  And  Lot  uplifted  his  eyes  towards  (the 
place  of)  fornication ;  and  beheld  all  the  plain  of  Jar- 
dena  that  it  was  altogether  well  watered,6  before  the 
Lord  in  his  wrath  had  destroyed  Sedom  and  Amorah  • 
i  land  admirable  for  trees,  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord,’ 
md  for  fruitage,  as  the  land  of  Mizraim  as  thou  goest 

*  “  A  place  of  waters.” 


196  TAKGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

up  to  Zoar.  And  Lot  chose  to  him  all  the  plain  of 
Jardena;  and  Lot  journeyed  from  the  east,  and  they 
separated  the  one  man  from  his  brother.  Abram 
dwelt  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  Lot  dwelt  in  the 
towns  of  the  plain,  and  spread  his  tabernacle  towards 
Sedom.  And  the  men  of  Sedom  were  depraved,  in  their 
wealth  one  with  another,  and  they  sinned  in  their 
bodies ;  they  sinned  with  open  nakedness,  and  the 
shedding  of  innocent  blood,  and  practised  strange  wor¬ 
ship,  and  rebelled  greatly  against  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Abram,  after  that  Lot  had 
separated  from  him,  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and  look, 
from  the  place  where  thou  art,  to  the  north  and  to  the 
south,  to  the  east  and  to  the  west :  for  all  the  land  that 
thou  seest  will  I  give  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  sons,  for 
ever.  And  I  will  make  thy  sons  manifold  as  the  dust 
of  the  earth,  as  that,  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to 
number  the  dust  of  the  earth,  so  also  it  shall  be  impos¬ 
sible  to  number  thy  sons.  Arise,  journey  in  the  land, 
and  make  occupation  of  it  in  length  and  breadth ;  for 
to  thee  will  I  give  it.  And  Abram  stretched  his  tent 
(and  made  folds)  for  oxen  and  sheep,  and  came  and 
dwelt  in  the  vale  of  Mamre  which  is  in  Hebron,  and 
builded  there  an  altar  before  the  Lord. 

XIV.  And  it  was  in  the  days  of  Amraphel, — he  is 
Nimrod,  who  commanded  Abram  to  be  cast  into  the 
furnace;  he  was  then  king  of  Pontos ;  Ariok,  (so 
called)  because  he  was  ( arik )  tall  among  the  giants, 
king  of  Thalasar,  Kedarlaomer,  (so  called)  because7  he 
had  bound  himself  (or  gone  over)  among  the  bondmen 
of  the  king  of  Elam,  and  Thidal,  crafty  as  a  fox,  king 
of  the  peoples  subjected  to  him,8 — made  war  with  Bera, 

7  Keshar,  “  to  bind,”  changed  to  kedar ,  with  the  name  Elam  or 
Olam ; — a  dubious  etymology. 

8  The  gloss  on  each  name  is  derived  from  the  root. 


ON  GENESIS. 


197 


XIV.] 

whose  deeds  were  evil,  king  of  Sedom,  and  with  Birsha, 
whose  deeds  were  with  the  wicked,  king  of  Amora : 
Shinab,  who  had  hated  his  father,  king  of  Admah,  and 
Shemebar,  who  had  corrupted  himself  with  fornication, 
king  of  Zeboim;  and  the  king  of  the  city  which  con¬ 
sumed  (Bela)  the  dwellers  thereof,  which  is  Zoar.  All 
these  were  joined  in  the  vale  of  the  gardens  (jt mredesaia), 
the  place  that  produced  the  streamlets  of  waters  that 
empty  themselves  into  the  sea  of  salt.  Twelve  years 
they  had  served  Kedarlaomer ;  and  in  the  thirteenth 
year  they  had  rebelled.  And  in  the  fourteenth  year 
came  Kedarlaomer  and  the  kings  who  were  with  him, 
and  smote  the  Giants  (gibboraia)  which  were  in  Ashta- 
roth-Karniam,  and  the  Strong  who  were  in  Hametha, 
and  the  Terrible  who  were  in  the  plain  of  Kiriathaim, 
and  the  Choraee  (dwellers  in  caverns)  who  were  in  the 
high  mountains  of  Gebala,  unto  the  valley  of  Pharan, 
which  was  nigh  upon  the  edge  of  the  desert.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  3.  All  these  were  joined  in  the  valley  of  the 
gardens.  5.  And  they  slew  the  giants  who  were  in 
Ashtaroth-Karnaim,9  the  famed 10  who  were  among  them, 
and  the  formidable  who  inhabited  the  city  which  they 
had  built,  and  the  cavern  people  who  dwelt  in  the 
mountain  of  Gebala,  unto  the  valley  of  vision  which  is 
nigh  upon  the  desert.] 

And  they  returned,  and  came  to  the  place  where  was 
rendered  the  judgment  of  Mosheh  the  prophet,  to  the 
fountain  of  the  waters  of  Strife,  which  is  Requam.  And 
they  smote  all  the  tields  of  the  Amalkaee,  and  also  the 
Emoraee,  who  dwelt  in  En-gedi.  And  the  king  of 
Sedom,  and  the  king  of  Amorah,  and  the  king  of 
Admah,  and  the  king  of  Zeboim,  and  the  king  of  the 
city  which  consumed  its  inhabitants,  which  is  Zoar, 

9  “  The  horned  A'shtaroth,”  i.  e.,  the  Moon  and  Venus. 

10  Or,  “  illustrious.” 


198  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

went  forth,  and  set  the  array  of  battle  against  them  in 
the  valley  of  the  gardens ;  with  Kedarlaomer  king  of 
Elam,  and  Thidal  king  of  the  nations  obedient  to  him, 
and  Amraphel  king  of  Pontos,  and  Ariok  king  of 
Thelasar ;  four  kings  arrayed  in  battle  against  five. 
[Jerusalem.  And  Amraphel  king  of  Pontos,  and 
Ariok  king  of  Elasar :  four  kings  against  five  spread 
out  the  array  of  war.]  And  the  valley  of  the  gardens 
had  many  pits  filled  with  bitumen  :  [Jerusalem.  The 
valley  of  the  gardens  was  full  of  pits  of  bitumen  :]  and 
the  kings  of  Sedom  and  Amora  fled  away,  and  fell 
there ;  and  they  who  were  left  fled  to  the  mountain^. 
And  they  took  all  the  property  of  Sedom  and  Amora, 
and  all  their  food,  and  went.  And  they  made  captive 
Lot  the  son  of  Abram's  brother,  and  his  property,  and 
went.  And  he  had  dwelt  in  Sedom. 

And  Og  came,1  who  had  been  spared  from  the  giants 
that  died  in  the  deluge,  and  had  ridden  protected  upon 
the  top  of  the  ark,  and  sustained  with  food  by  Noah; 
not  being  spared  through  his  righteousness,  but  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  world  might  see  the  power  of  the 
Lord,  and  say,  Were  there  not  giants  who  in  the  first 
times  rebelled  against  the  Lord  of  the  world,  and 
perished  from  the  earth  ?  But  when  these  kings  made 
wrar,  behold,  Og,  wrho  was  with  them,  said  in  his  heart, 
I  will  go  and  show  Abram  concerning  Lot,  who  is  led 
captive,  that  he  may  come  and  deliver  him  from  the  hands 
of  the  kings  into  whose  hands  he  has  been  delivered. 
And  he  arose  and  came,  upon  the  eve  of  the  day  of 
the  Pascha,  and  found  him  making  the  unleavened  cakes. 
Then  showed  he  to  Abram  the  Hebrew,  who  dwelt  in 

1  “  Beside  Noah,  Og  the  king  of  Bashan  was  saved ;  for  he  laid  hold 
on  one  of  the  beams  of  the  ark,  and  sware  to  Noah  that  he  and  his 
posterity  would  serve  him  as  hondmen.  Noah  made  an  opening  through 
the  wall  of  the  ark,  and  gave  Og  some  food  daily :  for  it  is  written, 
Ouly  Og  the  king  of  Bashan  survived  of  all  the  giants/’ — Midrash. 


ON  GENESIS. 


399 


XIV.] 


the  valleys  of  Mamre  Amoraah,  brother  of  Eshkol  and 
brother  of  Aner,  who  were  men  of  covenant  with 
Abram.  And  when  Abram  heard  that  his  brother  was 
made  captive,  he  armed  his  young  men  who  were  trained 
for  war,  grown  up  in  his  house ;  but  they  willed  not  to 
go  with  him.  And  he  chose  from  them  Eliezer  the  son 
of  Nimrod,  who  was  equal  in  strength  to  all  the  three 
hundred  and  eighteen ;  and  he  pursued  unto  Dan. 
[Jerusalem.  Domestics  ( marbitsi ,  down-liers)  of  his 
house,  eighteen  and  three  hundred,  and  pursued  after 
them  unto  Dan  of  Kisarion.]  And  he  divided  them  at 
night  in  the  way  ;  a  part  were  to  engage  with  the  kings, 
and  a  part  were  hidden  to  smite  the  firstborn  of  Egypt. 
And  he  arose,  he  and  his  servants,  and  smote  them,  and 
pursued  them  which  remained  of  them  unto  (the  place) 
of  the  memorial  of  sin  which  was  to  be  in  Dan,  from 
the  north  of  Darmesek.  [Jerusalem.  And  he  pur¬ 
sued  them  unto  Havetha,  which  is  from  the  north  of 
Darmesek.]  And  he  brought  back  all  the  substance, 
and  also  Lot  his  brother  and  his  substance  he  brought 
back,  and  also  the  women  and  the  people.  And  the 
king  of  Sedom  came  forth,  after  that  he  returned  from 
destroying  Kedarlaomer  and  the  kings  who  were  with 
him,  to  meet  him  at  the  plain  of  Mephana,  which  was 
the  king^s  race-course.2  [Jerusalem.  And  the  kings 
who  were  with  him,  at  the  plain  of  vision  which  was 
the  house  of  the  king’s  plain.] 

And  Malka  Zadika,  who  was  Shem  bar  Noah,  the 
king  of  Yerushalem,  came  forth  to  meet  Abram,  and 
brought  forth  to  him  bread  and  wine ;  and  in  that  time 
he  ministered  before  Eloha  Ilaha.3  [Jerusalem.  And 
Malki  Zedek,  king  of  Yerushalem,  who  was  Shem,  who 
was  the  great  priest  of  the  Most  High.]  And  he 
blessed  him,  and  said,  Blessed  be  Abram  of  the  Lord 


2  Beth  risa  da  malka.  3  “  God  the  Most  High,” 


200  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

God  Most  High,  who  for  the  righteous  possesseth  the 
heavens  and  the  earth.  And  blessed  be  Eloha  Ilaha, 
who  hath  made  thine  enemies  as  a  shield  which  re- 
ceiveth  a  blow.  And  he  gave  to  him  one  of  ten,  of  all 
which  he  brought  back. 

And  the  king  of  Sedom  said  to  Abram,  Give  me  the 
souls  of  the  men  of  my  people  whom  thou  hast  brought 
back,  and  the  substance  take  to  thyself.  [Jerusalem. 
And  the  treasure  take  to  thee.]  And  Abram  said  to 
the  king  of  Sedom,  I  have  uplifted  my  hands  in  an  oath 
before  the  Lord  God  the  Most  High,  who  for  the  just 
possesseth  his  possession  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
if  from  a  thread  to  the  latchet  of  a  sandal  I  receive 
any  thing  of  all  that  is  thine ;  lest  thou  magnify  thyself 
in  saying,  I  have  enriched  Abram  from  mine  own. 
Have  I  not  power  over  all  the  spoil  ? — Apart  from  what 
the  young  men  have  eaten,  and  the  portion  of  the  men 
who  went  with  me,  Aner,  Eshkol,  and  Mamre,  they 
also  receiving  their  portion.  [Jerusalem.  If  from  a 
thread  to  the  latchet  of  a  sandal  I  receive  of  all  that  is 
thine  :  that  thou  magnify  not  thyself  and  say,  I  have 
enriched  Abram.} 

XV.  After  these  words,  when  the  kings  had  gathered 
together,  and  had  fallen  before  Abram  ;  and  four  kings 
had  been  slain,  and  nine  hosts  brought  back,  Abram 
reasoned  in  his  heart,  and  said,  Woe  to  me,  because  I 
have  received  the  reward  of  my  appointments  in  this 
world,  and  have  no  portion  in  the  world  to  come.  Or 
peradventure  the  brethren  and  friends  of  those  who 
have  been  slain  will  combine  in  legions  and  come 
against  me;  or  that  at  that  time  there  was  found  with 
me  the  reward  of  a  little  righteousness,  so  that  they  fell 
before  me ;  but  the  second  time  reward  may  not  be 
found  with  me,  and  by  me  the  name  of  the  Heavens 
may  be  profaned.  Thereupon  was  the  word  Q mthgama) 


ON  GENESIS. 


201 


XV.] 


of  the  Lord  with  Abram  in  a  vision,  saying,  Pear  not ; 
for  if  these  men  should  gather  together  in  legions  and 
come  against  thee,  My  Word  ( Memra )  will  be  thy  shield  : 
and  also  if  these  fall  before  thee  in  this  world,  the  re¬ 
ward  of  thy  good  works  shall  be  kept,  and  be  prepared 
before  Me  in  the  world  to  come,  great  exceedingly. 

And  Abram  said,  Lord  God,  great  blessings  hast 
Thou  given  me,  and  great  (are  they  which  it  is)  before 
Thee  to  give  me  :  nevertheless,  what  profit  is  to  me,  when 
I  pass  from  the  world  without  children,  and  Eliezer  the 
manager  [bar  pharnasath,  the  son  of  sustenance)  of  my 
house,  by  whose  hands  signs  were  wrought  for  (or  to) 
me  in  Darmasek,  expects  to  be  my  heir  ?  And  Abram 
said,  Behold,  to  me  Thou  hast  not  given  a  son;  and, 
behold,  the  manager  of  my  house  will  be  my  heir. 
And,  behold,  a  word  from  before  the  Lord  was  to  him, 
saying,  He  shall  not  be  thine  heir ;  but  a  son  whom 
thou  wilt  beget  shall  be  thy  heir.  And  He  brought  him 
forth  without,  and  said,  Look  up  now  to  the  heavens, 
and  number  the  stars,  if  thou  art  able  to  number  them  : 
and  he  said,  So  will  be  thy  sons.  And  he  believed  in 
the  Lord,  and  had  faith  in  the  [Memra)  Word  of  the 
Lord,  and  He  reckoned  it  to  him  for  righteousness  (li- 
zeku),  because  he  parleyed  not  before  him  with  words. 

,  And  He  said  to  him,  I  am  the  Lord  who  brought  thee 
out  of  the  fiery  furnace  of  the  Kasdai,  to  give  thee  this 
land  to  inherit.  And  he  said,  Lord  God,  by  what  may 
I  know  that  I  shall  be  the  heir  of  it  ?  And  He  said, 
Bring  Me  oblations,  and  offer  before  Me  an  heifer  of 
three  years,  and  a  goat  of  three  years,  a  ram  of  three 
years,  and  a  dove,  and  the  young  of  a  pigeon.  And  he 
brought  all  these  before  Him,  and  divided  them  in  the 
midst,  and  set  in  order  every  division  over  against  its 
fellow ;  but  the  fowl  he  divided  not.  And  there  came 
down  idolatrous  peoples  which  are  like  to  unclean  birds, 


202  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

to  steal  away  the  sacrifices  of  Israel ;  but  the  righteous¬ 
ness  of  Abram  was  a  shield  over  them.  And  when  the 
sun  was  nearing  to  set,  a  deep  sleep  was  thrown  upon 
Abram  :  and,  behold,  four  kingdoms  arose  to  enslave 
his  children  :  Terror,  which  is  Bavel;  Darkness,  which 
is  Madai ; 4  Greatness,  which  is  Javan ; 8  Decline,6  which 
is  Pheras,7  which  is  to  fall,  and  to  have  no  uplifting, 
and  from  whence  it  is  to  be  that  the  children  of  Israel 
will  come  up.  And  he  said  to  Abram,  Knowing,  thou 
must  know,  that  thy  sons  shall  dwell  in  a  land  not  their  j 
own,  because  thou  hast  not  believed,  and  they  will  sub-  ; 
jugate  and  afflict  them  four  hundred  years;  and  also  j 
that  the  people  whom  they  shall  serve  I  will  judge  with  ' 
two  hundred  and  fifty  plagues,  and  afterwards  they  shall  1 
go  forth  into  liberty  with  great  riches.  And  thou  shalt  1 
be  gathered  to  thy  fathers,  thy  soul  shall  rest  in  peace,  ] 
and  thou  shalt  be  buried  in  a  good  old  age.  And  in  ] 
the  fourth  generation  of  thy  sons  they  will  return  hither  ] 
to  inherit ;  because  the  guilt  of  the  Amoraah  is  not  yet 
complete.  And  when  the  sun  had  set  there  was  dark-  j 
ness.  And,  behold,  Abram  saw  Gehinnam  ascending,  i 
smoke  with  flaming  coals  and  burning  flakes  of  fire,  1 
wherewith  the  wicked  are  to  be  judged.  And,  behold,  1 
He  passed  between  those  divisions. 

[Jerusalem.  1.  After  these  words,  when  all  the  I 
kings  of  the  lands,  and  the  sultans  of  the  provinces,  1 
had  gathered  together,  and  had  made  war  against  I 
Abram  the  Just,  and  had  fallen  before  him,  and  he  had  1 
slain  of  them  four  kings,  and  had  brought  back  nine  1 
hosts,  did  Abram  the  Just  reason  in  his  heart,  and  say,  1 
Woe,  now,  to  me,  because  I  have  received  the  reward  1 
ordained  in  the  present  world,  and  have  no  portion  in  * 
the  world  to  come.  Or  perad venture  the  brethren  and 
kindred  of  the  slain  who  have  fallen  before  me,  who  are 
4  Media.  5  Greece.  6  Nep/itla,  “falling.”  7  Persia. 


ON  GENESIS. 


203 


XV.] 


in  their  cities  and  provinces,  will  combine  in  great 
legions,  and  come  against  me;  or  peradventure  there 
were  in  my  hand  a  few  commandments  in  the  former 
times,  so  that  they  fell  before  me  when  they  had  risen 
up  against  me;  or  it  may  be  that  righteousness  was 
found  in  me  at  the  former  times,  that  they  fell  before 
me,  but  at  the  second  time  it  may  not  be  found,  and 
the  Heavenly  Name  will  be  profaned  in  me.  Then  was 
the  word  of  prophecy  from  the  Lord  unto  Abram  the 
Eighteous,  saying,  Lear  not,  Abram,  though  they  should 
gather  together  and  come  against  thee  with  many 
legions,  My  Word  shall  be  thy  reward  and  thy  shield 
in  this  world,  and  a  protector  over  thee  all  the  days  of 
the  world  to  come.  And  though  I  deliver  up  thy 
adversaries  before  thee  in  this  world,  the  reward  of  thy 
good  works  is  prepared  for  thee  also  before  Me  in  the 
world  to  come. 

2.  And  Abram  said.  Before  Thee  I  supplicate 
mercy,  O  Lord  God.  Manifold  blessings  Thou  hast 
given  me,  and  many  hast  Thou  before  Thee  still  to  give  : 
nevertheless,  what  profit  have  I  who  go  from  the  world 
childless,  and  Eliezer,  the  son  of  my  house,  by  whose 
hands  signs  were  wrought  for  me  in  Damasek,  expecteth 
in  himself  to  be  my  heir?  7.  And  He  said  to  him, 
I  am  the  Lord  who  brought  thee  out  of  the  fiery 
furnace  from  Ur  of  the  Kasdai.  9.  And  a  turtle  and 
a  young  pigeon.  10-12.  And  He  brought  before 
him  all  these,  and  divided  them  into  divisions,  and  set 
one  part  over  against  its  fellow;  but  the  fowl  He 
divided  not.  And  when  the  birds  descended,  they  came 
not  nigh  the  divisions  :  those  birds  are  unclean  fowl, 
and  those  unclean  fowl  are  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
which  are  worshippers  of  idols,  and  which  counsel  evil 
counsels  against  the  sons  of  Israel ;  but  the  integrity  of 
the  righteous  Abram  hindered  them.  And  when  the 


204  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

sun  was  going  to  set,  a  sleep  profound  and  sweet  fell 
upon  Abram.  And,  behold,  Abram  saw  four  kingdoms 
which  should  arise  to  bring  his  sons  into  subjection 
(and)  Terror — the  Greatness — of  Darkness — Pell — upon 
him  :  Terror,  that  is  Bavel ;  Darkness,  that  is  Media  ; 
Greatness,  that  is  Greece  ;  Fell,  that  is  Edom,  (Rome,) 
that  fourth  kingdom  which  is  to  Fall,  and  never  to 
rise  again  for  ever  and  ever.  17.  And,  behold,  the 
sun  went  to  set,  and  there  was  darkness,  and  Abram 
beheld  till  the  seats  were  arrayed  and  the  thrones  set 
forth.  And  lo,  Gehinam,  which  was  prepared  for  the 
wicked  in  the  world  to  come,  enveloped  in  burning 
flakes  and  flames  of  fire,  into  which  the  wicked  had 
fallen  when  in  their  lives  they  rebelled  against  the  law, 
while  the  just  who  had  kept  it  had  been  delivered  from 
affliction.  And  all  were  seen  by  Abram  while  He 
passed  between  those  divisions.] 

In  that  day  the  Lord  ordained  a  covenant  with 
Abram,  that  He  would  not  judge  therein  his  sons,  but 
w7ould  deliver  them  from  the  kingdom,  saying,  To  thy 
sons  will  I  give  this  land,  from  Nilos  of  Mizraim  unto 
the  great  river,  the  river  Pherath,  the  Shalmia,  and  the 
Kenizah,  and  the  Kadmonaah,  and  the  Hittaee,  and  the 
Pherizaee,  and  the  Gibaraee,  and  the  Emoraee,  and  the 
Kenaanaee,  and  the  Girgeshaee,  and  the  Jebusaee. 
[Jerusalem.  And  all  the  sons  of  the  East.] 

XVI.  But  Sara,  the  wife  of  Abram,  had  not  borne 
to  him.  But  he  had  a  handmaid,  a  Mizreitha,  and  her 
name  was  Hagar,  a  daughter  of  Pharoh,8  whom  he  gave 
to  him  as  a  handmaid  at  the  time  that  he  received  her, 
being  struck  by  the  word  from  before  the  Lord.  And 

8  According  to  the  Midrash ,  Hagar  had  been  given  as  a  slave  to 
Abraham  by  her  father,  the  Pharaoh  of  Egypt,  who  said,  “  My  daughter 
had  better  he  a  slave  in  the  house  of  Abram,  than  mistress  iu  any 
other.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


205 


XVI.] 

Sara  said  to  Abram,  Behold,  now,  the  Lord  hath 
restrained  me  from  bearing,  go  to  my  handmaid  and  set 
her  free  ;  perhaps  I  may  be  budded  by  her.  And 
Abram  hearkened  to  the  word  of  Sara.  And  Sara  the 
wife  of  Abram  took  Hagar  the  Mizreitha  handmaid, 
when  Abram  had  dwelt  ten  years  in  the  land  of  Kenaan, 
and  set  her  free,  and  gave  her  to  Abram  her  husband  to 
wife.  And  he  went  unto  Hagar,  and  she  conceived ; 
and  she  saw  that  she  had  conceived,  and  the  honour  of 
her  mistress  was  despised  in  her  eyes. 

And  Sara  said  to  Abram,  All  my  affliction  is  from 
thee.  Being  secure  that  thou  wouldst  do  me  justice,  I 
left  the  land  and  house  of  my  father,  and  came  up  with 
thee  to  a  foreign  land ;  and  forasmuch  as  I  was  not  able 
to  become  a  mother,  I  set  free  my  handmaid,  and  gave 
her  to  lie  in  thy  bosom ;  and  she  seeth  that  she  hath 
conceived,  and  mine  honour  is  despised  before  her. 
But  now  is  my  affliction  manifest  before  the  Lord,  who 
will  spread  peace  between  me  and  thee,  and  the  land 
shall  be  replenished  from  us,  nor  shall  we  need  the  help 
of  the  progeny  of  Hagar  the  daughter  of  Pharoh  bar 
Nimrod,  who  threw  thee  into  the  furnace  of  fire. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Sara  said,  My  judgment  and  my 
affliction  are  delivered  into  thine  hand.  I  left  the  house 
of  my  birth,  and  the  house  of  my  father,  and  came  with 
thee  in  the  faith  of  the  Heavens.  I  have  gone  in  with 
thee  before  kings;  before  Pharoh  King  of  Mizraim,  and 
before  Avimelek  king  of  the  Philistaee  ;  and  I  have  said 
of  thee,  He  is  my  brother,  so  that  they  might  not  kill 
thee.  And  when  I  saw7  that  I  was  not  made  fruitful,  I 
took  Hagar  the  Mizreitha,  my  handmaid,  and  gave  her 
to  thee  to  wife,  and  said,  She  shall  bring  forth,  and  I 
will  bring  up  whom  she  may  bear,  that  I  may  be 
builded,  be  it  only  from  her.  But  now  seeing  that  she 
hath  conceived,  my  honour  is  contemned  and  despised 


206  TARGTTM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

in  her  sight.  Now  may  the  Lord  appear,  and  judge 
between  me  and  thee,  and  fulfil  mercies  upon  me  and 
thee,  and  spread  His  peace  between  me  and  thee,  and 
replenish  the  world  from  me  and  from  thee,  that  we  may 
not  heed  the  son  of  Hagar  the  Mizreitha  handmaid,  who 
is  of  the  children  of  the  people  who  cast  thee  into  the 
burning  furnace  of  the  Kasdin.] 

And  Abram  said  to  Sara,  Behold,  thy  handmaid  is 
under  thy  authority  :  do  to  her  what  is  right  in  thine 
eyes.  And  Sara  afflicted  her,  and  she  escaped  from 
before  her.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  found  her  at 
the  fountain  of  waters  in  the  desert ;  at  the  fountain  of 
waters  which  is  in  the  way  to  Chagra.  [Jerusalem. 
Chalitza.]  And  He  said,  Hagar,  handmaid  of  Sara, 
whence  comest  thou,  and  whither  dost  thou  go  ?  And 
she  said,  From  before  Sara  my  mistress  I  have  escaped. 
And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  her,  Return  to  thy 
mistress,  and  be  subject  under  her  hand.  And  the 
Angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  her.  Multiplying  I  will 
multiply  thy  sons,  and  they  shall  not  be  numbered  for 
multitude.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  her, 
Behold,  thou  art  with  child,  and  thou  wilt  bear  a  son, 
and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Ishmael,  because  thy 
affliction  is  revealed  before  the  Lord.  And  he  shall  be 
like  the  wild  ass  among  men :  his  hands  shall  take 
vengeance  of  his  adversaries,  and  the  hands  of  his 
adversaries  be  put  forth  to  do  him  evil ;  and  in  the 
presence  of  all  his  brethren  shall  he  be  commingled, 
( yitharbeb ,  Arabized,)  and  shall  dwell.  And  she 
gave  thanks  before  the  Lord  whose  Word  spake  to  her, 
and  thus  said,  Thou  art  He  who  livest  and  art  eternal ; 
who  seest,  but  art  not  seen  !  for  she  said,  Bor,  behold, 
here  is  revealed  the  glory  of  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord 
after  a  vision.  [Jerusalem.  And  Hagar  gave  thanks, 
and  prayed  in  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  who 


ON  GENESIS. 


207 


XVII.] 


had  been  manifested  to  her,  saying,  Blessed  be  Thou, 
Eloha,  the  Living  One  of  all  Ages,  who  hast  looked 
upon  my  affliction.  Eor  she  said.  Behold,  Thou  art 
manifested  also  unto  me,  even  as  Thou  wast  manifested 
to  Sara  my  mistress.]  Wherefore  she  called  the  well. 
The  Well  at  which  the  Living  and  Eternal  One  was 
revealed ;  and,  behold,  it  is  situate  between  Rekam  and 
Chalutsa.  And  Hagar  bare  Abram  a  son,  and  Abram 
called  the  name  of  his  son  whom  Hagar  bare,  Ishmael. 
And  Abram  was  the  son  of  eighty-six  years  when  Hagar 
bare  Ishmael  to  Abram. 

XVII.  And  Abram  was  the  son  of  ninety  and  nine 
years,  and  the  Lord  appeared  to  Abram,  and  said  to 
him,  I  am  El  Shadai ;  serve  before  Me  and  be  perfect 
(shetim)  in  thy  flesh.  And  I  will  set  My  covenant 
between  My  Word  and  thee,  and  will  multiply  thee  very 
greatly.  And  because  Abram  was  not  circumcised,  he 
was  not  able  to  stand,  but  he  bowed  himself  upon  his 
face ;  and  the  Lord  spake  with  him,  saying,  Behold,  I 
have  confirmed  (or  divided)  my  covenant  with  thee ; 
and  thou  shalt  be  the  father  of  many  peoples.  And 
thy  name  shall  be  no  more  called  Abram,  but  Abraham 
shall  be  thy  name,  because  to  be  the  father  of  a  great 
multitude  of  peoples  have  I  appointed  thee.  And  I 
will  make  thee  exceeding  fruitful,  and  will  set  thee  for 
congregations ;  and  kings  ruling  over  peoples  shall  come 
forth  from  thee.  And  I  have  established  My  covenant 
between  My  Word  and  thee,  and  thy  sons  after  thee  in 
their  generations,  for  an  everlasting  covenant,  to  be  a 
God  to  thee  and  to  thy  sons  after  thee.  And  I  will 
give  to  thee  and  to  thy  sons  after  thee  the  land  of  thy 
habitation,  all  the  land  of  Kenaan,  for  an  everlasting 
possession  :  and  I  will  be  to  them  Eloha.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Abraham,  And  thou  shalt  observe  my  covenant, 
thou  and  thy  sons  after  thee  in  their  generations.  This 


208  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

is  My  covenant,  that  you  shall  observe  between  My 
Word  and  you,  and  your  sons  after  you  : — Every  male  of 
you  being  circumcised,  though  he  have  not  a  father  to 
circumcise  him.  And  you  shall  circumcise  the  flesh  of 
your  foreskin,  as  a  sign  of  the  covenant  between  My 
Word  and  you.  And  the  son  of  eight  days  shall  be  cir¬ 
cumcised  among  you,  every  male  in  your  generations ; 
from  him  who  is  brought  up  in  your  house,  or  bought 
with  your  silver,  unto  evSry  son  of  the  peoples  who  is 
not  of  you.  He  who  is  circumcised  shall  circumcise 
him  who  is  brought  up  among  you,  or  bought  with  your 
silver ;  and  it  shall  be  My  covenant  in  your  flesh  for  a 
covenant  for  ever.  And  the  uncircumcised  male  who 
is  not  circumcised  in  the  flesh  of  his  foreskin,  unless, 
he  have  some  one  to  circumcise  him,  that  man  shall  be 
cut  off  from  his  people;  he  hath  made  My  covenant  to 
pass  away.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  The  name 
of  Sara  thy  wife  shall  be  no  more  called  Sara  ;  for  Sarah 
shall  be  her  name.  And  I  will  bless  her  in  her  body, 
and  will  also  give  from  her  a  soil  to  thee,  and  I  will 
bless  him,  and  he  shall  be  for  assemblies,  and  kings 
ruling  over  nations  shall  be  from  her. 

And  Abraham  fell  on  his  face,  and  wondered,  and  said 
in  his  heart,  Shall  the  son  of  a  hundred  years  have 
progeny,  and  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  ninety  years,  bear 
a  child  ?  [Jerusalem.  And  Abraham  bowed  upon  his 
face,  and  wondered.]  And  Abraham  said  before  the 
Lord,  May  not  Ishmael  be  established,  and  serve  before 
Thee  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  In  truth  Sarah  thy  wife 
shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
Izhak ;  and  with  him  I  will  confirm  My  covenant  for 
an  everlasting  covenant  to  his  sons  after  him.  And 
concerning  Ishmael  I  have  heard  thy  prayer.  Behold, 
I  have  blessed  him ;  and  I  will  spread  him  abroad,  and 
multiply  him  very  greatly.  Twelve  princes  shall  he 


ON  GENESIS. 


XVIII.] 


209 


beget,  and  I  will  give  him  to  be  a  great  people.  But 
My  covenant  will  I  establish  with  Izhak,  whom  Sarah 
shall  bear  to  thee  at  this  time  in  the  year  after.  And 
He  ceased  speaking  with  him  ;  and  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord  ascended  from  Abraham. 

And  Abraham  took  Ishmael  his  son,  and  all  brought 
up  in  his  house,  and  all  bought  with  money,  every  male 
among  the  household  people  of  Abraham,  and  he  cir¬ 
cumcised  the  flesh  of  their  foreskin  in  the  same  day  in 
which  the  Lord  spake  with  him.  And  Abraham  was 
the  son  of  ninety  and  nine  years  when  he  circumcised 
the  flesh  of  his  foreskin.  In  the  same  day,  in  the 
fourteenth  year,  was  Abraham  circumcised,  and  Ishmael 
his  son.  And  every  man  of  his  house,  the  house- 
trained,  and  the  purchased  with  money  of  the  sons  of 
the  people,  was  circumcised  with  him. 


SECTION  IV. 

VAYERA. 

And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  him  in  the 
valley  of  Mamre ;  and  he,  being  ill  from  the  pain  of 
circumcision,  sat  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  in  the 
fervour  (or  strength)  of  the  day.  And  he  lifted  up  his 
eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  three  angels  in  the  re¬ 
semblance  of  men  were  standing  before  him  ;  (angels) 
who  had  been  sent  from  the  necessity  of  three  things ; 
— because  it  is  not  possible  fora  ministering  angel  to  be 
sent  for  more  than  one  purpose  at  a  time ; — one,  then, 
had  come  to  make  known  to  him  that  Sarah  should  bear 
a  man-child  ;  one  had  come  to  deliver  Lot ;  and  one  to 
overthrow  Sedom  and  Amorah.  And  when  he  saw 


210  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

them,  he  ran  to  meet  them  from  the  door  of  the  tent, 
and  bowed  himself  on  the  earth. 

[Jerusalem.  Three  angels  were  sent  to  our  father 
Abraham ;  and  the  three  were  sent  for  three  things ; 
— because  it  is  not  possible  that  one  of  the  high  angels 
should  be  sent  for  more  things  than  one.  The  first 
angel  was  sent  to  announce  to  our  father  Abraham, 
that,  behold,  Sarah  would  bear  Izhak ;  the  second  angel 
was  sent  to  deliver  Lot  from  the  midst  of  the  over¬ 
throw;  the  third  angel  was  sent  to  overthrow  Sedom 
and  Amorah,  Admah  and  Zeboim.  Therefore  was  there 
a  word  of  prophecy  from  before  the  Lord  unto  Abraham 
the  Just,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  him 
in  the  valley  of  vision ;  and  he  sat  in  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  comforting  himself  from  his  circumcision  in 
the  fervour  (or  strength)  of  the  day.] 

And  he  said,  I  beseech,  by  the  mercies  (that  are) 
before  Thee,  O  Lord,  if  now  I  have  found  favour  before 
Thee,  that  the  glory  of  Thy  shekina  may  not  now 
ascend  from  Thy  servant,  until  I  have  set  forth  pro¬ 
visions  under  the  tree.  And  I  will  bring  food  of  bread, 
that  you  may  strengthen  your  hearts,  and  give  thanks 
in  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  afterwards 
pass  on.  Lor  therefore  at  the  time  of  repast  are  you 
come,  and  have  turned  aside  to  your  servant  to  take 
food.  And  they  said,  Thou  hast  spoken  well ;  do 
according  to  thy  word.  And  Abraham  hastened  into 
the  tent  unto  Sarah,  and  said  to  her.  Hasten  three 
measures  of  flour-meal,  mix  and  make  cakes.  And  unto 
the  flock  ran  Abraham,  and  took  a  calf,  tender  and  fat, 
and  gave  to  a  young  man,  and  hastened  to  make  pre¬ 
pared  meats;  and  he  took  rich  cream  and  milk  and 
the  calf  which  the  young  man  had  made  into  pre¬ 
pared  meats,  and  set  them  before  them,  according  to  the 
way  and  conduct  ( hilkath )  of  the  creatures  of  the  world ; 


.XVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  211 

and  lie  served  before  them,  and  they  sat  under  the  tree ; 
and  he  quieted  himself  (to  see)  whether  they  would  eat. 

And  they  said  to  him,  Where  is  Sarah  thy  wife  ? 
And  he  said,  Behold,  she  is  in  the  tent.  And  One  of 
them  said,  Returning  I  will  return  to  thee  in  the  coming 
year ;  and  you  shall  be  revived,  and,  behold,  Sarah  thy 
wife  shall  have  a  son.  And  Sarah  was  hearkening  at 
the  door  of  the  tent,  and  Ishmael  stood  behind  her,  and 
marked  what  the  Angel  said. 

[Jerusalem.  And  He  said,  Returning  I  will  return 
to  thee  at  that  time,  to  revive  you,  and,  behold,  Sarah 
thy  wife  shall  have  a  male  child.  And  Sarah  was 
hearkening  at  the  door  of  the  tent,  and  Ishmael  stood 
behind  her.] 

But  Abraham  and  Sarah  were  old,  they  had  mounted 
( alu )  in  days,  and  with  Sarah  the  way  of  women  had 
ceased.  And  Sarah  wondered  in  her  heart,  saying, 
After  that  I  am  old  shall  I  have  conceptions,  and  my 
lord  Abraham  is  old?  [Jerusalem.  And  Sarah  de¬ 
rided  in  her  heart,  saying,  After  that  I  am  old,  is  it 
possible  to  return  to  the  days  of  my  youth,  for  me  to 
have  conception,  and  Abraham  old?]  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Abraham,  Why  hath  Sarah  so  laughed,  saying. 
Can  it  be  in  truth  that  I  shall  bear,  being  old  ?  Is  it 
possible  to  hide  anything  from  before  the  Lord  ?  At 
the  gracious  time  I  will  return  to  thee,  in  the  time  when 
you  shall  be  revived,  and  Sarah  shall  have  a  son.  And 
Sarah  denied  and  said,  I  wondered  not ;  for  she  was 
afraid.  And  the  Angel  said.  Bear  not :  yet  in  truth 
thou  didst  laugh. 

And  the  angels,  who  had  the  likeness  of  men,  arose 
from  thence,  and  the  one  who  had  made  known  the 
tidings  to  Sarah  ascended  to  the  high  heavens;  and 
two  of  them  looked  toward  Sedom ;  and  Abraham  went 
with  them.  [Jerusalem.  And  they  looked  towards.] 


212  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  the  Lord  said,  with  His  Word,  I  cannot  hide  from 
Abraham  that  which  I  am  about  to  do ;  and  it  is  right 
that  before  I  do  it,  I  should  make  it  known  to  him. 
For  Abraham  is  to  be  a  great  and  mighty  people,  and 
through  him  shall  all  the  peoples  of  the  earth  be  blessed. 
[Jerusalem.  And  the  Lord  with  His  Word  said.  Shall 
I  hide  from  Abraham,  My  friend,  that  which  I  am  about 
to  do  ?  Forasmuch  as  the  town  of  Sedom  is  among  the 
gifts  that  I  have  given  to  him,  it  is  just  that  1  should 
not  overthrow  it,  till  I  have  made  it  known  to  him.] 
Because  his  holiness  (piety,  chas'idutha)  is  manifest 
before  Me,  (and)  that  he  will  instruct  his  sons,  and  the 
men  of  his  house  after  him,  to  keep  the  ways  that  are 
right  before  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment,  that 
the  Lord  may  bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  He  hath 
spoken  concerning  him. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  the  ministering  angels.  The  cry 
of  Sedom  and  Amorah,  because  they  oppress  the  poor, 
and  decree  that  whosoever  giveth  a  morsel  to  the  needy 
shall  be  burned  with  fire,  is  therefore  great,  and  their 
guilt  exceedingly  weighty.  I  will  now  appear,  and  see 
whether,  as  the  cry  of  a  damsel  torn  away,  which 
ascendeth  before  Me,  they  have  made  completion  of 
their  sins ;  (or,  whether  they  have  made  an  end  of  their 
sins ;)  and  if  they  have  wrought  repentance,  shall  they 
not  be  as  (if )  innocent  before  Me  ?  and  as  if  not  know¬ 
ing,  I  will  not  punish.  [Jerusalem.  Now  will  I 
appear  and  see,  according  as  the  cry  of  the  people  of 
Sedom  and  Amorah  hath  ascended  before  Me,  w  hether 
they  have  made  a  complete  end.  It  may  be,  that  some 
among  these  sinners  do  not  know  that  their  works  of 
evil  are  manifest  before  Me.  And  if  they  seek  to  work 
repentance,  behold,  they  shall  be  considered  before  Me 
as  if  those  works  had  not  been  known.] 

And  the  angels  who  had  the  likeness  of  men,  turned 


XVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  213 

thence  and  went  towards  Sedom.  And  Abraham  now 
supplicated  mercy  for  Lot,  and  ministered  in  prayer 
before  the  Lord.  And  Abraham  prayed  and  said,  Wilt 
Thou  destroy  in  Thy  displeasure  the  innocent  with  the 
guilty  P  Perhaps  there  are  fifty  innocent  persons  within 
the  city,  who  pray  before  Thee, — ten  for  every  city,  of 
all  the  five  cities  of  Sedom,  Amorah,  Admah,  Zeboim, 
and  Zoar.  Wilt  Thou  in  Thy  displeasure  destroy  and 
not  forgive  the  country,  on  account  of  the  fifty  innocent 
ones  who  are  in  it?  Unholy  would  it  be  before  Thee  to 
do  according  to  this  word,  to  slay  the  innocent  with 
the  guilty,  and  to  make  the  innocent  to  be  as  the  guilty  ! 
That  be  unholy  with  Thee.  It  cannot  be  that  One  who 
is  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  should  not  do  justice. 
And  the  Lord  said,  If  I  find  in  Sedom  fifty  innocent  in 
the  midst  of  the  city  who  pray  before  Me,  I  will  forgive 
all  the  land  on  their  account.  And  Abraham  responded, 
and  said,  I  pray  for  mercy.  Behold,  now,  I  have  begun 
to  speak  before  the  Lord  ;  I,  who  am  as  dust  and 
ashes.  Perhaps  of  the  fifty  innocent  persons,  five  may 
be  wanting.  On  account  of  the  five  who  may  be  want¬ 
ing  to  Zoar,  wilt  Thou  destroy  the  whole  city  ?  And 
He  said,  I  will  not  destroy  it,  if  I  find  there  forty  and 
five.  And  he  added  yet  to  speak  before  Him,  and  said. 
Perhaps  there  may  be  forty  found  there ;  ten  for  each 
city  of  the  four  cities,  and  Zoar,  whose  guilt  is  lighter, 
forgive  thou  for  Thy  mercy's  sake.  And  he  said,  I  will 
not  make  an  end  for  the  sake  of  the  forty  innocent  ones. 
And  he  said,  Let  not  the  displeasure  of  the  Lord,  the 
Lord  of  all  the  world,  wax  strong  against  me,  and  I 
will  speak.  Perhaps  thirty  who  pray  may  be  found  there, 
ten  for  each  of  the  three  cities,  and  Zeboim  and  Zoar 
forgive  them  for  Thy  mercy's  sake.  And  He  said,  I 
will  not  make  an  end  if  I  find  thirty  there.  And  he 
said,  Imploring  mercy,  I  have  now  begun  to  speak 


214  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

before  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  all  the  world.  Perhaps 
twenty  who  pray  may  be  found ;  ten  in  each  of  the  two 
cities,  and  the  three  forgive  Thou  for  Thy  mercy's  sake  ! 
And  He  said,  I  will  not  destroy  for  the  sake  of  the 
twenty  innocent.  And  he  said,  I  implore  mercy  before 
Thee  !  Let  not  the  anger  of  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  all 
the  world,  grow  strong,  and  I  will  speak  only  this  time. 
Perhaps  ten  may  be  found  there ;  and  I  and  they  will 
pray  for  mercy  upon  all  the  land,  and  Thou  wilt  forgive 
them.  And  He  said,  I  will  not  destroy  for  the  sake  of 
the  ten  who  may  be  innocent.  And  the  majesty  of 
the  Lord  went  up  when  He  had  ceased  to  speak  with 
Abraham  ;  and  Abraham  returned  to  his  place. 

XIX.  Two  angels  came  to  Sedom  at  the  evening; 
and  Lot  sat  in  the  gate  of  Sedom.  And  Lot  saw,  and 
rose  up  to  meet  them  from  the  gate  of  the  tabernacle. 
And  he  bowed  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  said,  I  beg 
now,  my  lords,  turn  now  hither,  and  enter  the  house  of 
your  servant,  and  lodge,  and  wash  your  feet ;  and  you 
will  arise  and  proceed  on  your  way.  And  they  said  to 
him,  No  ;  for  in  the  street  we  will  lodge.  [Jerusalem. 
And  Lot  sat  in  the  gate  of  Sedom,  and  he  saw  them, 
and  ran  and  saluted  them,  and  bowed  with  his  face  to 

the  ground . 2.  And  wash  your  feet,  and  wash  you 

in  the  morning,  and  go  to  your  tents  in  peace.  And 
they  said  to  him,  No ;  for  in  the  open  place  of  the  city 
we  will  lodge.]  And  he  persuaded  them  earnestly,  and 
they  turned  aside  to  be  with  him ;  and  they  entered  his 
house,  and  he  made  a  repast  for  them,  and  prepared 
unleavened  cakes.  And  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  they  did 
eat.  [Jerusalem.  And  it  appeared  as  if  they  ate  and 
drank.] 

They  had  not  yet  lain  down,  when  the  wicked  men 
of  the  city,  the  men  of  Sedom,  came  round  upon  the 
house,  from  the  youth  to  the  old  man,  all  the  people 


ON  GENESIS. 


215 


XIX.] 

throughout.  And  they  cried  to  Lot,  and  said  to  him, 
Where  are  the  men  who  entered  with  thee  to-night  ? 
Bring  them  out  to  us,  and  we  will  lie  with  them.  And 
Lot  went  out  to  them  to  the  gate,  and  shut  the  door 
after  him.  And  he  said,  I  pray,  my  brethren,  do  not 
thus  wickedly.  Behold,  now,  I  have  two  daughters 
who  have  had  no  dealing  with  a  man ;  I  would  now 
bring  even  them  out  to  you  to  do  to  them  as  is  meet 
before  you,  rather  than  you  should  do  evil  to  these 
men,  because  they  have  entered  in  to  lodge  under  the 
shadow  of  my  roof.  [Jerusalem.  7.  And  Lot  said  to 
them,  Wait  here  a  little,  till  we  have  besought  mercy 
before  the  Lord.  8.  Who  have  not  known  dealing 
with  man.] 

And  they  said,  Give  up  this.  And  they  said.  Did 
not  this  come  alone  to  sojourn  among  us  ?  and,  behold, 
he  is  making  himself  a  judge,  and  judging  the  whole 
of  us.  But  now  we  will  do  worse  to  thee  than  to  them. 
And  they  prevailed  against  the  man,  against  Lot, 
greatly,  and  came  near,  to  shatter  the  door.  And  the 
Men  stretched  forth  their  hands,  and  brought  Lot  unto 
them  in  the  house,  and  shut  the  door.  But  the  men 
who  were  at  the  gate  of  the  house  they  struck  with  a 
suffusion  of  the  eyes,  from  the  young  to  the  old,  and 
they  wearied  themselves  to  find  the  gate.  [Jerusalem. 
With  blindness.]  And  the  Men  said  to  Lot,  Hast  thou 
yet  in  this  city  kinsman  or  brother  ?  Thy  sons-in-law, 
thy  sons  and  thy  daughters,  take  forth  from  the  place  ; 
for  the  cry  of  it  before  the  Lord  is  great,  and  the  Lord 
hath  sent  us  to  destroy  it.  And  Lot  went  forth,  and 
spake  with  his  sons-in-law  who  had  taken  his  daughters, 
and  said.  Arise,  come  forth  from  this  place;  for  the 
Lord  destroyeth  the  city.  But  the  word  was  as  a  wonder, 
(and  he)  as  a  man  ranting,  in  the  eyes  of  his  sons-in- 
law.  And  at  the  time  that  the  morning  was  about  to 


216  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

uprise,  the  angels  were  urgent  upon  Lot,  saying,  Up, 
take  thy  wife  and  thy  two  daughters  who  are  with  you, 
lest  you  perish  in  the  condemnation  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city.  But  he  delayed  :  and  the  men  laid  hold 
on  his  hand,  and  on  the  hand  of  his  wife,  and  on  the 
hand  of  his  two  daughters,  for  mercy  from  the  Lord 
was  upon  them.  And  they  brought  them  forth,  and 
set  them  without  the  city.  And  it  was  that  as  they  led 
them  without,  one  of  them  returned  into  Sedom,  to 
destroy  it ;  and  one  remained  with  Lot,  and  said  to  him, 
Be  merciful  to  your  life ;  look  not  behind  you,  and 
stand  not  in  all  the  plain ;  to  the  mountain  escape,  or 
you  perish.  And  Lot  said  to  him,  I  beseech  of  thee 
endure  with  me  a  little  hour,  until  I  have  prayed  for 
mercy  from  before  the  Lord.  [Jerusalem.  15.  And 
it  was  at  the  time  of  the  upcoming  of  the  column  of  the 

morning . 18.  Be  steadfast  here  a  little  with  us  until 

I  have  besought  mercy  before  the  Lord.]  Behold, 
now,  thy  servant  hath  found  mercy  before  Thee,  and 
Thou  hast  multiplied  the  kindness  Thou  hast  done  me 
in  saving  my  life,  and  I  am  not  able  to  escape  to  the 
mountain,  lest  evil  overtake  me,  and  I  die.  Behold, 
now,  I  pray,  this  city,  it  is  a  near  habitation,  and  con¬ 
venient  (for  us)  to  escape  thither ;  and  it  is  small,  and 
the  guilt  thereof  light.  1  will  flee  thither,  then.  Is  it 
not  a  little  one  ?  and  my  life  shall  be  preserved.  And 
He  said.  Behold,  I  have  accepted  thee  in  this  matter 
also,  that  I  will  not  overthrow  the  city  for  which  thou 
hast  spoken,  to  destroy  it,  that  thou  mayest  escape  to 
it.  Hasten  and  flee  thither  :  for  I  cannot  do  any  thing 
till  thou  have  entered  there.  Therefore  he  called  the 
name  of  the  city  Zoar. 

The  sun  had  passed  the  sea,  and  come  forth  upon  the 
earth,  at  the  end  of  three  hours,  and  Lot  entered  into 
Zoar. 


ON  GENESIS. 


217 


XIX.] 

And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  had  caused  showers  of 
favour  to  descend  upon  Sedom  and  Amorah,  to  the 
intent  that  they  might  work  repentance,  but  they  did  it 
not :  so  that  they  said,  Wickedness  is  not  manifest 
before  the  Lord.  Behold,  then,  there  are  now  sent 
down  upon  them  sulphur  and  fire  from  before  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  from  heaven.  [Jerusalem.  24.  And  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  Himself  had  made  to  descend  upon 
the  people  of  Sedom  and  Amorah  showers  of  favour, 
that  they  might  work  repentance  from  their  wicked 
works.  But  when  they  saw  the  showers  of  favour,  they 
said,  So,  our  wicked  works  are  not  manifest  before 
Him.  He  turned  (then),  and  caused  to  descend  upon 
them  bitumen  and  fire  from  before  the  Lord  from  the 
heavens.]  And  He  overthrew  those  cities,  and  all  the 
plain,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities,  and  the 
herbage  of  the  earth. 

And  his  wife  looked  after  the  angel,  to  know  what 
would  be  in  the  end  of  her  father’s  house,  for  she  was 
of  the  daughters  of  the  Sedomaee;  and  because  she 
sinned  by  salt  {bemilcha)  she  was  manifestly  punished  ; 
behold,  she  was  made  a  statue  of  salt.  [Jerusalem* 
And  because  the  wife  of  Lot  was  of  the  children  of  the 
people  of  Sedom,  she  looked  behind  her,  to  see  what 
would  be  the  end  of  her  father's  house  :  and,  behold, 
she  was  made  to  stand  a  statue  of  salt,  until  the  time 
of  the  resurrection  shall  come,  when  the  dead  shall 
arise.] 

And  Abraham  arose  in  the  morning  (and  went)  to 
the  place  where  he  had  ministered  in  prayer  before  the 
Lord.  And  he  looked  towards  Sedom  and  Amorah, 
and  all  the  land  of  the  plain,  and  saw,  and,  behold,  the 
smoke  of  the  land  went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a  furnace. 

And  it  was  when  the  Lord  destroyed  the  cities  of 
the  plain,  that  He  remembered  the  righteousness  of 

L 


218 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[CHAP. 

Abraham,  and  sent  forth  Lot  from  the  midst  of  the 
overthrow,  when  He  overthrew  the  cities  wherein  Lot 
had  dwelt. 

And  Lot  went  up  from  Zoar,  and  dwelt  in  the  moun¬ 
tain,  and  his  two  daughters  with  him ;  because  he 
feared  to  reside  in  Zoar.  And  he  dwelt  in  a  cavern,  he 
and  his  two  daughters.  And  the  elder  said  to  the  less, 
Our  father  is  old,  and  there  is  no  man  in  the  land  to 
come  to  us  after  the  way  of  the  whole  earth  :  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  there  is  not  a  man  in  the  land  who  may 
come  with  us  after  the  law  of  all  the  earth  :]  come, 
let  us  make  our  father  drink  wine,  and  when  he  is 
drunken  we  will  lie  with  him,  and  raise  up  sons  from 
our  father.  And  they  made  their  father  drink  wine 
that  night,  and  he  was  drunk.  And  the  elder  arose, 
and  lay  with  her  father,  nor  did  he  know  when  she  lay 
down,  nor  when  she  arose.  And  it  was  the  day  follow¬ 
ing,  and  the  elder  said  to  the  less.  Behold,  now,  I  lay 
my  evening  with  the  father ;  let  us  make  him  drink 
wine  this  night  also,  that  he  may  be  drunk ;  and  go 
thou  and  lie  with  him,  that  we  may  raise  up  sons  from 
our  father.  And  they  made  their  father  drink  wine 
that  night  also,  and  he  was  drunk,  and  the  younger 
arose,  and  lay  with  him;  and  he  knew  not  in  her  lying 
down  nor  in  her  rising  up.  And  the  two  daughters  of 
Lot  became  with  child  by  their  father.  And  the  elder 
brought  forth  a  son,  and  she  called  his  name  Moab, 
because  from  her  father  she  had  conceived.  He  is  the 
father  of  the  Moabaee  unto  this  day.  And  the  younger 
also  brought  forth  a  son,  and  she  called  his  name  Bar- 
Ammi,  because  he  was  the  son  of  her  father.  He  is  the 
father  of  the  Ammonite  people  unto  this  day. 

XX.  And  Abraham  went  on  from  thence  to  the  land 
of  the  south,  and  dwelt  between  Rekam  and  Chagra,  and 
had  his  habitation  in  Gerar.  And  Abraham  said  con- 


ON  GENESIS. 


219 


XX.] 

cerniug  Sarah  his  wife,  She  is  my  sister.  And  Abimelek, 
king  of  Gerar,  sent  and  took  Sarah.  [Jerusalem. 
King  of  Arad.]  And  a  word  came  from  before  the 
Lord  unto  Abimelek,  in  a  dream  of  the  night,  and  said 
to  him.  Behold,  thou  diest,  because  of  the  woman  whom 
thou  hast  carried  away,  and  she  a  man's  wife.  But 
Abimelek  had  not  come  nigh  to  defile  her ;  and  he  said, 
Lord,  shall  the  son  of  a  people  who  hath  not  sinned, 
and  whom  it  is  right  to  absolve  in  the  judgment,  be 
killed  ?  Did  he  not  tell  me.  She  is  my  sister  ?  and  did 
not  she  also  say.  He  is  my  brother  ?  In  the  truth¬ 
fulness  of  my  heart  and  the  innocency  of  my  hands 
have  I  done  this.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said  to 
him  in  a  dream,  Before  Me  also  it  is  manifest  that  in 
the  truthfulness  of  thy  heart  thou  didst  this,  and  so 
restrained  I  thee  from  sinning  before  Me ;  therefore  I 
would  not  permit  thee  to  come  near  her.  And  now  let 
the  wife  of  the  man  return ;  for  he  is  a  prophet ;  he 
will  pray  for  thee,  and  thou  shalt  live :  but  if  thou  wilt 
not  let  her  return,  know  that  dying  thou  shalt  die,  thou 
and  all  who  are  thine.  And  Abimelek  arose  in  the 
morning,  and  called  all  his  servants,  and  told  all  these 
words  before  them  ;  and  the  men  feared  greatly.  And 
Abimelek  called  Abraham,  and  said,  What  hast  thou 
done  to  us  ?  And  in  what  have  I  sinned  against  thee  ? 
For  thou  hadst  brought  upon  me  and  upon  my  kingdom 
a  great  sin.  Thou  hast  wrought  with  me  works  that 
are  not  right.  And  Abimelek  said  to  Abraham,  What 
hast  thou  seen,  that  thou  didst  this  thing?  And 
Abraham  said.  Because  I  said  in  my  heart.  The  fear  of 
the  Lord  is  not  in  this  place,  and  they  will  kill  me 
for  the  sake  of  my  wife.  But  in  truth  she  is  my  sister, 
the  daughter  of  my  father's  brother,  but  not  of  the 
kindred  of  my  mother ;  and  she  became  my  wife.  And 
it  was  when  they  sought  to  turn  me  aside  to  the  wor- 
l  2 


220  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP, 

ship  of  idols,  and  I  went  forth  from  my  father's  house, 
that  I  said  to  her,  This  is  the  kindness  thou  shalt  do 
me  :  in  every  place  to  which  we  come,  say  concerning 
me,  He  is  my  brother.  And  Abimelek  took  sheep,  and 
oxen,  and  handmaids,  and  gave  to  Abraham,  and  re¬ 
stored  Sarah  his  wife  to  him.  And  to  Sarah  he  said, 
Behold,  I  have  given  a  thousand  sileen9  of  silver  to  thy 
brother ;  behold,  they  are .  to  thee  a  veil  of  the  eyes, 
inasmuch  as  thou  vrast  hidden  from  thine  husband  one 
night,  and  I  would  have  seen  thee :  for  were  I  to  give 
all  that  I  have  it  would  not  suffice  (or  be  propor¬ 
tionate).  And  the  words  were  debated.  And  Abra¬ 
ham  knew  that  Abimelek  had  not  come  near  Sarah  his 
wife.  [Jerusalem.'  And  to  Sarah  he  said,  Behold,  I 
have  given  a  thousand  sileen 9  of  silver  to  thy  brother ; 
behold,  that  silver  is  given  to  thee  as  a  present,  because 
thou  wast  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  Abraham  thy  hus¬ 
band  one  night :  and  of  all  that  I  have, — for  on  behalf 
of  all  I  am  corrected, — behold,  were  I  to  give  all  what¬ 
ever  I  have,  it  would  not  suffice.  Let  the  words  be 
approved,  and  may  Abraham  the  Just  learn  that  I  have 
not  known  thee.]  And  Abraham  prayed  before  the 
Lord  :  and  the  Lord  healed  Abimelek  and  his  wife  and 
his  concubines,  and  they  were  set  at  large.  For  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  shutting  had  shut  in  displeasure 
the  wombs  of  all  the  women  of  Abimelek' s  house  on 
account  of  Sarah  the  wife  of  Abraham.  [Jerusalem. 
Closing  had  closed.] 

XXI.  And  the  Lord  remembered  Sarah  according  to. 
that  which  He  had  said  to  her ;  and  the  Lord  wrought 
a  miracle  for  Sarah  like  to  that  for  which  Abraham 
had  spoken  in  prayer  for  Abimelek.  [Jerusalem.  And 
the  Lord  wrought  miracles  for  Sarah,  as  He  had  spoken.] 
And  she  conceived,  and  Sarah  bare  to  Abraham  a 

9  Sileen,  “  shekels.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


221 


XXI.] 

son,  who  was  like  to  himself  in  his  age,10  at  the  time  of 
which  the  Lord  had  spoken  to  him.  And  Abraham 
called  the  name  of  his  son  whom  Sarah  had  borne  him 
Izhak.  And  Abraham  circumcised  Izhak  his  son,  when 
the  son  of  eight  days,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  him. 
And  Abraham  was  the  son  of  an  hundred  years  when 
Izhak  his  son  was  born  to  him.  And  Sarah  said.  The 
Lord  hath  done  wondrously  for  me ;  all  who  hear  will 
wonder  at  me.  And  she  said.  How  faithful  was  the 
messenger  who  announced  to  Abraham,  and  said,  Sarah 
will  nurse  children,  for  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son  in 
her  old  age !  [Jerusalem.  And  she  said,  What  was 
the  announcement  which  announced  to  my  lord  Abraham 
at  the  beginning,  and  said.  It  will  be  that  she  will  give 
suck,  because  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son  in  her  old 
age?]  And  the  child  grew  and  was  weaned.  And 
Abraham  made  a  great  feast  on  the  day  when  Izhak 
was  weaned.  And  Sarah  observed  the  son  of  Hagar 
the  Mizreitha,  whom  she  bare  to  Abraham,  mocking 
with  a  strange  worship,  and  bowing  to  the  Lord. 
[Jerusalem.  And  Sarah  observed  the  son  of  Hagar  the 
Mizreitha,  whom  she  bare  to  Abraham,  doing  evil 
works  which  are  not  fitting  to  be  done,  mocking  in  a 
strange  worship.]  And  she  said  to  Abraham,  Cast  out 
this  handmaid  and  her  son  :  for  it  is  not  possible  for  the 
son  of  this  handmaid  to  inherit  with  my  son;  and  he 
to  make  war  with  Izhak.  And  the  thing  was  very  evil 
in  Abraham's  eyes,  on  account  of  Ishmael  his  son,  who 
would  practise  a  strange  worship.  And  the  Lord  said  to 
Abraham,  Let  it  not  be  evil  in  thine  eyes  on  account  of 
the  youth  who  goeth  forth  from  thy  nurturing,  and  of 

10  Midrash:  “When  Sarah  weaned  her  son,  Abraham  made  a  feast. 
Then  said  the  heathen.  Behold  this  aged  couple  who  have  taken  up  a 
child  from  the  streets,  to  pretend  that  he  is  their  son.  But  the  Lord 
made  Izhak  so  greatly  to  resemble  his  father,  that  it  could  not  be  mis¬ 
taken  whose  son  he  was.” 


222  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

thy  handmaid  whom  thou  sendest  away.  Hearken  unto 
all  that  Sarah  saith  to  thee,  because  she  is  a  prophetess ; 
for  in  Izhak  shall  sons  be  called  unto  thee ;  and  this 
son  of  the  handmaid  shall  not  be  genealogized  after 
thee.  But  the  son  of  the  handmaid  have  I  set  for  a 
predatory  people  ( le-am  leistim ),  because  he  is  thy 
son.  And  Abraham  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  took 
bread  and  a  cruse  of  water,  and  gave  to  Hagar  to 
bear  upon  her  shoulder,  and  bound  it  to  her  loins,  to 
signify  that  she  was  a  servant,  and  the  child,  and  dis¬ 
missed  her  with  a  letter  of  divorce  ( be-gitta ).  And 
she  went,  and  wandered  from  the  way  into  the  desert 
which  was  hard  by  Beersheba.  And  it  was  when  they 
came  to  the  entrance  of  the  desert,  they  remembered  to 
wander  after  strange  worship ;  and  Ishmael  was  seized 
with  a  burning  thirst,  and  drank  of  the  water  till  all  the 
water  was  consumed  from  the  cruse.  And  he  was 
dried  up,  and  withered  in  his  flesh ;  and  she  carried 
him,  and  was  exhausted,  and  she  cried  unto  the  Bear  of 
his  father,  and  He  answered  her  not ;  and  she  laid  the 
youth  down  at  once  under  one  of  the  trees.  [Jerusa¬ 
lem.  And  the  water  was  consumed  from  the  cruse, 
and  she  took  up  the  youth.]  And  she  went  and  sat  on 
one  side,  and  cast  away  the  idol  (or  the  strange  worship), 
and  removed  from  her  son,  as  the  distance  of  an  arrow 
from  the  bow ;  for  she  said,  I  am  not  able  to  see  the 
death  of  the  child.  And  she  sat  over  against  her  son, 
and  lifted  up  her  voice  and  wept.  And  the  voice  of  the 
youth  was  heard  before  the  Lord  for  the  righteousness* 
sake  of  Abraham  ;  and  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  to 
Hagar  from  heaven,  and  said.  What  to  thee,  Hagar? 
Paint  not,  for  the  voice  of  the  youth  is  heard  before 
the  Lord ;  neither  shall  judgment  be  according  to  the 
evil  which  he  will  do,  but  according  to  the  righteous¬ 
ness  of  Abraham  is  mercy  upon  him  in  the  place  where 


ON  GENESIS. 


223 


XXI.] 

he  is.  Arise,  support  the  child,  and  strengthen  thine 
hand  in  him  :  for  I  have  set  him  for  a  great  people. 
And  the  Lord  opened  her  eyes,  and  showed  her  a  well 
of  water,  and  she  went  and  filled  the  cruse  with  water, 
and  gave  the  youth  to  drink.  And  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  was  the  helper  of  the  youth,  and  he  grew  and 
dwelt  in  the  wilderness,  and  became  a  skilful  master  of 
the  bow.  And  he  dwelt  in  the  wilderness  of  Pharan, 
and  took  for  a  wife  Adisha,  but  put  her  away.  And 
his  mother  took  for  him  Phatima  to  wife,  from  the 
land  of  Mizraim. 

And  it  was  at  that  time  that  Abimelek  and  Phikol, 
chief  of  his  host,  spake  to  Abraham,  saying,  The  Word 
of  the  Lord  is  in  thine  aid  in  all  whatsoever  thou 
doest.  And  now,  swear  to  me  here,  by  the  Word  of 
the  Lord,  that  thou  wilt  not  be  false  with  me,  nor  with 
my  son,  nor  with  the  son  of  my  son  :  according  to  the 
kindness  which  I  have  done  with  thee,  thou  shalt  do 
with  me,  and  with  the  land  in  which  thou  dwellest. 
And  Abraham  said  to  him,  I  swear.  And  Abraham 
remonstrated  with  Abimelek  concerning  the  well  of 
water  of  which  the  servants  of  Abimelek  had  deprived 
him.  And  Abimelek  said,  I  knew  not  who  did  this 
thing ;  neither  hast  thou  shown  it  to  me ;  nor 
have  I  heard  it  from  others,  till  to-day  from  thyself. 
And  Abraham  took  sheep  and  oxen,  and  gave  to 
Abimelek  ;  and  they  both  made  a  covenant.  And 
Abraham  set  seven  lambs  apart  and  separated  them 
from  the  oxen.  And  Abimelek  said  to  Abraham,  What 
are  these  seven  lambs  which  thou  hast  set  apart  ?  And 
he  said,  That  thou  mayest  take  the  seven  lambs  from 
my  hand,  to  be  a  testimony  for  me  that  I  have  digged 
this  well.  Therefore  he  called  that  well  the  Well  of 
the  Seven  Lambs ;  because  there  they  two  did  swear. 
And  they  struck  a  covenant  at  the  Well  of  the  Seven 


224  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Lambs.  And  Abimelek  and  Phikol  the  chief  of  his 
host  arose  and  returned  to  the  land  of  the  Philistaee. 
And  he  planted  a  garden,  (lit.,  “  a  paradise,”)  at  the  Well 
of  the  Seven  Lambs,  and  prepared  in  the  midst  of  it 
food  and  drink  for  them  who  passed  by  and  who 
returned ;  and  he  preached  to  them  there,  Confess  ye, 
and  believe  in  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  the 
everlasting  God. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Abraham  planted  a  paradise  in 
Beer  Sheba,  and  prepared  in  the  midst  of  it  food  and 
drink  for  those  who  arrived  at  the  border ;  and  they 
ate  and  drank,  and  sought  to  give  him  the  price  of 
what  they  had  eaten  and  drunk,  but  he  willed  not  to 
receive  it  from  them ;  but  our  father  Abraham  dis¬ 
coursed  to  them  of  that  which  he  had  said,  that  the 
world  was  by  His  word.  Pray  before  your  Father 
who  is  in  heaven,  from  whose  bounty  ye  have  eaten  and 
drunk.  And  they  stirred  not  from  their  place  until  the 
time  when  he  had  made  them  proselytes,  and  had  taught 
them  the  way  everlasting.  And  Abraham  praised  and 
prayed  there  in  the  name  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  the 
God  of  Eternity.] 

XXII.  And  it  was  after  these  things  that  Izhak 
and  Ishmael  contended ;  and  Ishmael  said.  It  is  right 
that  I  should  inherit  what  is  the  father's,  because  I 
am  his  firstborn  son.  And  Izhak  said,  It  is  right  that 
I  should  inherit  what  is  the  father's,  because  I  am  the 
son  of  Sarah  his  wife,  and  thou  art  the  son  of  Hagar 
the  handmaid  of  my  mother.  Ishmael  answered  and 
said,  I  am  more  righteous  than  thou,  because  I  was 
circumcised  at  thirteen  years ;  and  if  it  had  been  my 
will  to  hinder,  they  should  not  have  delivered  me  to  be 
circumcised ;  but  thou  wast  circumcised  a  child  of 
eight  days  ;  if  thou  hadst  had  knowledge,  perhaps  they 
could  not  have  delivered  thee  to  be  circumcised.  Izhak 


ON  GENESIS. 


225 


XXII .] 


responded  and  said.  Behold  now,  to-day  I  am  thirty  and 
six  years  old ;  and  if  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  were 
to  require  all  my  members,  I  would  not  delay.  These 
words  were  heard  before  the  Lord  of  the  world,  and 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  at  once  tried  Abraham,  and  said 
to  him,  Abraham!  And  he  said.  Behold  me.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  it  was  after  these  things  that  the  Lord 
tried  Abraham  with  the  tenth  trial,  and  said  to  him, 
Abraham  !  And  he  said,  Behold  me.]  And  He  said, 
Take  now  thy  son,  thy  only  one  whom  thou  lovest, 
Izhak,  and  go  into  the  land  of  worship,  and  offer 
him  there,  a  whole  burnt  offering,  upon  one  of  the 
mountains  that  I  will  tell  thee.  [Jerusalem.  At 
Mount  Moriah.]  And  Abraham  rose  up  in  the  morning 
and  saddled  his  ass,  and  took  two  young  men  with 
him,  Eliezer  and  Ishmael,  and  Izhak  his  son,  and  cut 
the  small  wood  and  the  figs  and  the  palm,  which  are 
provided  for  the  whole  burnt  offering,  and  arose  and 
went  to  the  land  of  which  the  Lord  had  told  him. 

On  the  third  day  Abraham  lifted  up  his  eyes  and 
beheld  the  cloud  of  glory  fuming  on  the  Mount,  and 
it  was  discerned  by  him  afar  off.  And  Abraham  said 
to  his  young  men,  Wait  you  here  with  the  ass,  and  I 
and  the  young  man  will  proceed  yonder,  to  prove  if 
that  which  was  promised  shall  be  established  : — So  shall 
be  thy  sons : — and  we  will  worship  the  Lord  of  the 
world,  and  return  to  you.  And  Abraham  took  the 
wood  of  the  offering  and  laid  it  upon  Izhak  his  son, 
and  in  his  hand  he  took  the  fire  and  the  knife ;  and 
they  went  both  of  them  together. 

And  Izhak  spake  to  Abraham  his  father,  and  said. 
My  Father  !  And  he  said,  I  am.  And  he  said, 
Behold  the  fire  and  the  wood  :  where  is  the  lamb  for  the 
offering  ?  And  Abraham  said,  The  Lord  will  choose 
for  Himself  a  lamb  for  the  offering.  And  they  went 
L  5 


226 


TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 

both  of  them  in  heart  entirely  as  one.  [Jerusalem. 
And  Abraham  said,  The  Word  of  the  Lord  will  prepare 
for  me  a  lamb ;  and  if  not,  then  thou  art  the  offering, 
my  son !  And  they  went  both  of  them  together  with  a 
contrite  heart.]  1 

And  they  came  to  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  had 
told  him.  And  Abraham  builded  there  the  altar  which 
Adam  had  built,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
waters  of  the  deluge,  which  Noah  had  again  builded, 
and  which  had  been  destroyed  in  the  age  of  divisions  ;3 
and  he  set  the  wood  in  order  upon  it,  and  bound  Izhak 
his  son,  and  laid  him  on  the  altar  upon  the  wood. 
And  Abraham  stretched  out  his  hand,  and  took  the  knife 
to  slay  his  sou. 

And  Izhak  answered  and  said  to  his  father.  Bind  me 
properly  (aright),  lest  I  tremble  from  the  affliction  of 
my  soul,  and  be  cast  into  the  pit  of  destruction,  and 
there  be  found  profaneness  in  thy  offering.  (Now)  the 
eyes  of  Abraham  looked  on  the  eyes  of  Izhak ;  but  the 
eyes  of  Izhak  looked  towards  the  angels  on  high,  (and) 

1  Midrash :  **  While  Sarah  was  yet  sleeping,  Abraham  left  in  the 
early  morning.  Satana  stood  in  his  way  as  an  aged  man,  and  said  : — 
S.  Whither  goest  thou  ? — A.  To  pray. — S.  But  why  with  wood  and 
knife? — A.  I  must  needs  prepare  food. — S.  Should  a  man  like  you  kill 
his  son  who  was  given  him  in  old  age  ? — A.  God  has  commanded. 

**  To  Izhak  the  Tempter  took  the  appearance  of  a  young  man,  and 
accosted  Izhak  : — S.  Whither  goest  thou  ? — I.  To  be  instructed  by  my 
father  in  righteousness  and  truth. — S.  In  this  life,  or  in  the  next  ?  For 
he  designs  to  kill  thee. — I.  It  matters  not :  I  follow  him. 

“  Satana  then  appeared  to  Sarah  : — Where,  asked  he,  is  thy  husband  ? 
— Sar.  He  has  gone  upon  his  affairs. — Sat.  And  thy  son? — Sar.  With 
him. — Sat.  Didst  thou  not  once  resolve  that  he  should  not  leave  the 
house  alone  ? — Sar.  He  prays  with  his  father. — Sat.  And  thou  wilt  never 
see  him  again. — Sar.  The  Lord  do  unto  my  son  according  to  His  wiU.”] 

*  “  The  altar  on  which  Abraham  would  have  offered  his  son  Izhak  is 
the  same  that  Noah  had  raised  when  he  came  forth  from  the  ark  ;  on 
which  Kain  had  offered,  and  where  Adam  himself,  repenting  of  his  fall, 
had  offered,  and  was  made  better.” — Yalkut,  i.,  104. 


ON  GENESIS. 


22T 


XXII.] 


Izhak  beheld  them,  but  Abraham  saw  them  not.  And 
the  angels  answered  on  high,  Come,  behold  how  these 
solitary  ones  who  are  in  the  world  kill  the  one  the  other ; 
he  who  slayeth  delays  not ;  he  who  is  to  be  slain 
reacheth  forth  his  neck. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Abraham  stretched  out  his  hand, 
and  took  the  knife  to  slay  Izhak  his  son.  Izhak 
answered  and  said  to  Abraham  his  father.  My  father, 
bind  my  hands  rightly,  lest  in  the  hour  of  my  affliction 
I  tremble  and  confuse  thee,  and  thy  offering  be  found 
profane,  and  I  be  cast  into  the  pit  of  destruction  in  the 
world  to  come.  (Now)  the  eyes  of  Abraham  reached 
unto  the  eyes  of  Izhak ;  but  the  eyes  of  Izhak  reached 
to  the  angels  on  high.  And  Izhak  beheld  them ;  but 
Abraham  saw  them  not.  In  that  hour  came  forth  the 
angels  on  high,  and  said,  these  to  these,  Come,  behold 
two  righteous  ones  alone  in  the  midst  of  the  world  :  the 
one  slayeth,  the  other  is  slain.  He  who  slayeth 
deferreth  not,  and  he  who  is  to  be  slain  stretcheth  out 
his  neck.] 

And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  to  him  from  the 
heavens,  and  said  to  him,  Abraham  !  Abraham  !  And 
he  said.  Behold  me.  [Jerusalem.  And  He  said, 
Abraham  !  Abraham  !  And  Abraham  answered  in  the 
language  of  the  sanctuary,  and  said,  Behold  me.]  And 
He  said,  Stretch  not  out  thy  hand  upon  the  young  man, 
neither  do  him  any  evil ;  for  now  it  is  manifest  before 
Me  that  thou  fearcst  the  Lord ;  neither  hast  thou  with¬ 
held  thy  son  thy  only  begotten  from  Me. 

And  Abraham  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  saw,  and,  behold, 
a  certain  ram  which  had  been  created  between  the 
evenings  of  the  foundation  of  the  world,  was  held  in  the 
entanglement  of  a  tree  by  his  horns.  And  Abraham 
went  and  took  him,  and  offered  him  an  offering  instead 
of  his  son.  And  Abraham  gave  thanks  and  prayed 


228  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

there,  in  that  place,  and  said,  I  pray  through  the  mercies 
that  are  before  Thee,  O  Lord,  before  whom  it  is  manifest 
that  it  was  not  in  the  depth  of  my  heart  to  turn  away 
from  doing  Thy  decree  with  joy,  that  when  the  children 
of  Izhak  my  son  shall  offer  in  the  hour  of  affliction, 
this  may  be  a  memorial  for  them ;  and  Thou  mayest 
hear  them  and  deliver  them,  and  that  all  generations 
to  come  may  say,  In  this  mountain  Abraham  bound 
Izhak  his  son,  and  there  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord  was 
revealed  unto  him. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Abraham  prayed  in  the  name  of 
the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  said,  Thou  art  the  Lord  who 
seest,  and  art  not  seen.  I  pray  for  mercy  before  Thee, 
O  Lord.  It  is  wholly  manifest  and  known  before  Thee 
that  in  my  heart  there  was  no  dividing,  in  the  time  that 
Thou  didst  command  me  to  offer  Izhak  my  son,  and  to 
make  him  dust  and  ashes  before  Thee ;  but  that  forth¬ 
with  I  arose  in  the  morning  and  performed  Thy  word 
with  joy,  and  I  have  fulfilled  Thy  word.  And  now  I 
pray  for  mercies  before  Thee,  O  Lord  God,  that  when 
the  children  of  Izhak  offer  in  the  hour  of  need,  the 
binding  of  Izhak  their  father  Thou  mayest  remember 
on  their  behalf,  and  remit  and  forgive  their  sins,  and 
deliver  them  out  of  all  need.  That  the  generations  who 
are  to  arise  after  him  may  say,  In  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  did  Abraham  offer 
Izhak  his  son,  and  in  this  mountain  of  the  house  of 
the  sanctuary  was  revealed  unto  him  the  glory  of  the 
Shekinah  of  the  Lord.] 

And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  to  Abraham  the 
second  time  from  the  heavens,  and  said,  By  My  Word 
have  I  sworn,  saith  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  thou  hast 
done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thy 
only  begotten,  that  in  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  in 
multiplying  I  will  multiply  thy  sons  as  the  stars  of  the 


ON  GENESIS. 


229 


XXII.] 


heavens,  and  they  shall  be  as  the  sand  which  is  upon 
the  shore  of  the  sea,  and  thy  sons  shall  inherit  the  cities 
before  their  enemies.  And  all  the  peoples  of  the  earth 
shall  be  blessed  through  the  righteousness  of  thy  son, 
because  thou  hast  obeyed  My  word. 

And  the  angels  on  high  took  Izhak  and  brought  him 
into  the  school  ( medresha )  of  Shem  the  Great ;  and  he 
was  there  three  years.  And  in  the  same  day  Abraham 
returned  to  his  young  men ;  and  they  arose  and  went 
together  to  the  Well  of  the  Seven,  and  Abraham  dwelt 
at  Beira-desheva. 

And  it  was  after  these  things,  after  Abraham  had 
bound  Izhak,  that  Satana  came  and  told  unto  Sarah 
that  Abraham  had  killed  Izhak.  And  Sarah  arose,  and 
cried  out,  and  was  strangled,  and  died  from  agony. 
But  Abraham  had  come,  and  was  resting  in  the  way. 
And  it  was  told  Abraham,  saying,  Behold,  Milcha  also 
hath  borne ;  she  hath  enlargement,  through  the  righteous¬ 
ness  of  her  sister,  to  bring  forth  sons  unto  Nachor  thy 
brother  :  Uts,  his  firstborn,  and  Booz,  his  brother,  and 
Kemuel,  master  of  the  Aramean  magicians,  and  Keshed, 
and  Chazo,  and  Pildash,  and  Jidlaph,  and  Bethuel. 
And  Bethuel  begat  Bivekeh.  These  eight  bare  Milcha 
to  Nachor  the  brother  of  Abraham.  And  his  concubine, 
whose  name  was  Beuma,  she  also  bare  Tebach,  and 
Gacham,  and  Tachash,  and  Maacha.  [Jerusalem. 
And  his  concubine... and  her  name...] 


230 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


SECTION  V. 

CHAIYEY  SARAH. 

XXIII.  And  the  days  of  the  life  of  Sarah  were  an 
hundred  and  twenty  and  seven  years,  the  years  of  the 
life  of  Sarah.  And  Sarah  died  in  Kiryath  Arba,  which 
is  Hebron.  [Jerusalem.  And  Sarah  died  in  the  city 
of  the  giants.] 

And  Abraham  came  from  the  mountain  of  worship, 
and  found  that  she  was  dead ;  and  he  sat  to  mourn  for 
Sarah,  and  to  weep  for  her.  And  Abraham  rose  up 
from  the  sight  of  the  face  of  his  dead,  and  spake  with 
the  sons  of  Hittah,  saying,  I  am  a  sojourner  and 
dweller  with  you ;  I  pray  sell  me  the  inheritance  of  a 
sepulchre  among  you,  and  I  will  bury  my  dead  there. 
And  the  sons  of  Hittah  responded  unto  Abraham,  saying 
to  him,  Attend  to  us,  our  lord.  Great  before  the  Lord 
art  thou  among  us,  in  the  best  of  our  sepulchres  bury 
thy  dead :  there  is  not  a  man  of  us  who  will  refuse  thee 
his  sepulchre,  that  thou  mayest  bury  thy  dead.  And 
Abraham  rose  and  bowed  to  the  people  of  the  land,  the 
sons  of  Hittah.  And  he  spake  with  them,  saying,  If  it 
be  with  the  consent  of  your  mind  that  I  bury  my  dead 
from  before  my  face,  receive  of  me,  and  intercede  for 
me  before  Ephron  bar  Zochar  that  he  sell  me  his  double 
cave  which  is  built  in  the  side  of  his  field,  for  the  full 
price  in  silver  let  him  give  it  me  among  you,  for  an 
inheritance  of  sepulture.  But  Ephron  the  Hittite 
answered  Abraham  in  the  presence  of  the  sons  of 
Hittah,  of  all  who  entered  the  gate  of  his  city,  saying. 
My  lord,  listen  to  me :  the  field  I  give  thee,  and  the 
cave  which  is  in  it,  to  thee  I  give  it,  as  a  gift  before  the 
sous  of  my  people  I  give  it  to  thee ;  go,  bury  thy  dead. 


ON  GENESIS. 


231 


XXIY .] 


And  Abraham  bowed  before  the  sons  of  Hittah.  And 
he  spake  with  Ephron  before  the  people  of  the  land, 
saying,  Nevertheless,  if  thou  art  willing  to  do  me  a 
favour,  hear  me :  I  will  give  thee  in  silver  the  price 
of  the  field ;  take  (it)  of  me,  and  I  will  bury  my  dead 
there.  And  Ephron  answered  Abraham,  saying  to  him. 
My  lord,  hear  me :  the  land,  as  to  its  price,  would  be 
four  hundred  sileen  of  silver ;  between  me  and  thee 
what  is  that  ?  Bury  thy  dead.  And  Abraham 
hearkened  unto  Ephron,  and  Abraham  weighed  to 
Ephron  the  silver  which  he  had  named  before  the  sons 
of  Hittah,  four  hundred  sileen  of  silver,  good,  passing 
at  every  table,  and  receivable  in  all  transactions. 
[Jerusalem.  Eour  hundred  sileen  of  silver,  passing  at 
every  table,  and  receivable  in  all  transactions.]  And 
he  confirmed  the  purchase  of  the  field  of  Ephron,  in 
which  (was)  the  double  (cave)  which  is  before  Mamre, 
The  field,  and  the  cave  that  is  therein,  and  all  the  trees 
that  were  in  the  field,  in  all  the  boundaries  thereof 
round  about, — Unto  Abraham,  for  a  purchased  posses¬ 
sion,  in  the  presence  of  the  sons  of  Hittah,  (even)  of  all 
who  entered  in  at  the  gate  of  the  city.  And  afterwards 
Abraham  buried  Sarah  his  wife  in  the  cave  of  the  field 
Kapheilta 3  which  is  before  Mamre,  that  is,  Hebron  in 
the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  the  field  and  the  cave  therein 
were  confirmed  unto  Abraham  for  an  inheritance  of 
sepulture  from  the  sons  of  Hittah. 

XXIY.  And  Abraham  was  old  with  days,  and  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  had  blessed  Abraham  with  every 
kind  of  blessing.  And  Abraham  said  to  Eliezer  his 
servant,  the  senior  of  his  house,  who  had  rule  over  all 
his  property,  Put  now  thy  hand  upon  the  section  of  my 
circumcision.  [Jerusalem.  And  Abraham  said  to  his 
servant,  the  ruler  who  had  rule  over  all  that  was  his, 
3  “  The  Double.” 


232  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Put  now  thy  hand  under  the  thigh  of  my  covenant.] 
And  swear  to  me  in  the  name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lori 
God,  whose  habitation  is  in  heaven  on  high,  the  Gocl 
whose  dominion  is  over  the  earth,  that  thou  wilt  not! 
take  a  wife  for  my  son  from  the  daughters  of  the! 
Kenaanites  among  whom  I  dwell ;  but  that  thou  will 
go  to  the  land  and  the  house  of  my  kindred,  and  take  a 
wife  for  my  son,  for  Izhak.  And  the  domestic  said  to 
him,  Perhaps  the  woman  may  not  be  willing  to  come1 
after  me  to  this  land ;  shall  I,  returning,  make  thy  son 
return  to  the  land  from  whence  thou  earnest?  And 
Abraham  said  to  him,  Beware,  lest  thou  make  my  son 
return  thither !  The  Lord  God,  whose  seat  is  in  heaven 
on  high,  who  took  me  from  my  father's  house,  and  from 
the  land  of  my  birth ;  and  who  spake  to  me,  and  sware 
to  me,  saying,  To  thy  son  will  I  give  this  land ;  He 
will  seasonably  send  His  angel,  and  thou  shalt  take  a 
wife  for  my  son  from  thence.  But  if  the  woman  be  not 
willing  to  come  after  thee,  thou  shalt  be  innocent  from 
this  my  oath ;  only  make  not  my  son  return  thither. 
And  the  servant  put  his  hand  upon  the  circumcised  " 
part  of  Abraham  his  lord,  and  sware  to  him  according 
to  this  thing. 

And  the  servant  took  ten  camels  from  the  camels  of 
his  lord,  and  went :  for  all  the  goodly  treasures  of  his 
lord  were  in  his  hand ;  and  he  arose  and  went  unto 
Aram,  which  was  by  the  Pherat,  to  the  city  of  Nachor. 
[Jerusalem.  And  all  the  goodly  treasures  of  his  lord 
were  in  his  hand ;  and  he  arose  and  went  to  Aram, 
which  is  by  Pherat  Naharaim.]  And  he  made  the 
camels  lie  down  without  the  city  by  the  fountain  of 
waters,  at  the  time  of  evening,  the  time  when  the 
fillers  (of  water)  come  forth.  And  he  said,  Lord  God 
of  my  master  Abraham,  prepare  thou  a  proper  woman 
before  me  to-day,  and  deal  graciously  with  mv  master 


XXIV.]  ON  GENESIS.  233 

Abraham.  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  well  of  waters,  and 
the  daughters  of  the  men  of  the  city  are  coming  forth 
to  fill  waters.  Let  the  damsel  to  whom  I  say,  Beach  me 
now  thy  pitcher,  that  I  may  drink,  and  she  say.  Drink, 
and  I  will  also  make  my  camels  drink,  be  she  whom 
thou  hast  provided  to  go  to  thy  servant  Izhak;  and 
herein  shall  I  know  that  Thou  hast  dealt  graciously  with 
my  master.  And  it  was  in  that  little  hour,  while  he 
had  not  ceased  to  speak,  that,  behold,  Bivekah  came 
forth,  who  was  born  to  Bethuel,  son  of  Milcha,  the  wife 
of  Nachor,  the  brother  of  Abraham,  and  her  pitcher 
was  upon  her  shoulder.  And  the  damsel  was  a  virgin, 
very  beautiful  to  behold,  and  she  descended  to  the 
fountain  and  filled  her  pitcher,  and  came  up.  And  the 
servant  ran  to  meet  her,  and  said.  Let  me  taste  now  a 
little  water  from  thy  pitcher.  And  she  said,  Drink,  my 
lord ;  and  hastened  to  let  down  her  pitcher  upon  her 
hand,  and  gave  him  drink.  And  she  finished  giving 
him  drink,  and  said,  Also  for  thy  camels  I  will  fill  until 
they  be  satisfied  with  drinking.  And  she  hastened  and 
emptied  the  pitcher  into  the  canal,  the  place  of  drink¬ 
ing,  and  ran  again*to  the  well  to  fill ;  and  she  filled  for 
all  his  camels.  [Jerusalem.  And  she  made  haste,  and 
poured  out  her  vase  into  the  midst  of  the  trough,  and 
filled,  and  gave  drink  to  all  the  camels.]  But  the  man 
waited,  and  was  silent,  to  know  whether  the  Lord  had 
prospered  his  way  or  not.  And  it  was  when  the  camels 
had  been  satisfied  with  drink,  that  the  man  took  an 
earring  of  gold,4  of  a  drachma  in  weight,  the  counter¬ 
part  of  the  drachma  of  the  head  (money)  which  her 
children  presented  for  the  work  of  the  sanctuary ;  and 
he  set  two  golden  bracelets  upon  her  hands,  in  weight 
ten  sileen  of  gold ;  the  sum  of  their  weight  being  the 
counterpart  of  the  two  tables  on  which  were  inscribed 
the  Ten  Words.  And  he  said,  Whose  daughter  art 

4  Kadasha,  “  ornament,  amulet.” 


234 


TAUGUM  OP  PALESTINE 


CHAP. 


thou  ?  Tell  me  now,  if  in  thy  father's  house  there  be 
room  for  us  to  lodge.  And  she  said,  I  am  the  daughter 
of  Bethuel  the  son  of  Milcha,  whom  she  bare  to  Nachor. 
And  she  told  him,  saying.  There  is  also  straw  and  pro- 
vender  in  plenty  with  us,  as  also  proper  room  to  lodge.; 
And  the  man  bowed  and  worshipped  before  the  Lord, 
who  had  thus  prepared  before  him  a  suitable  wife. 
And  he  said.  Blessed  be  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  the 
God  of  my  master  Abraham,  who  hath  not  restrained 
His  mercy  and  His  truth  from  my  master;  for  the  sake 
of  his  righteousness  in  the  right  way  hath  the  Lord  led 
me  to  the  house  of  my  master's  brother.6 

And  Bivekah  had  a  brother  whose  name  was  Laban. 
And  Laban  ran  towards  the  man  without  at  the  foun¬ 
tain.  And  when  Laban  saw  the  ring  and  the  bracelets 
upon  the  hands  of  his  sister,  and  heard  the  words  of 
Rivekah  his  sister,  saying,  Thus  hath  the  man  spoken 
with  me ;  he  came  to  the  man,  and,  behold,  he  stood  by 
the  camels  at  the  fountain.  And  Laban  thought  that 
this  was  Abraham,  and  said,  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of 
the  Lord  :  wherefore  standest  thou  without,  when  I  have 
purified  the  house  from  strange  worship,  and  have  pre¬ 
pared  a  place  for  the  camels  ? 

And  the  man  entered  the  house,  and  Laban  undid  the 
gear  of  the  camels,  and  gave  the  camels  straw  and  pro- 
vender  ;  and  water  (to  Eliezer)  to  wash  his  feet,  and  the 
feet  of  the  men  who  were  with  him.  And  he  set  in 
order  before  him  to  eat,  prepared  food  in  which  was 
poison  6  to  kill ;  but  he  objected  to  it,  and  said,  I  will 
not  eat,  until  1  have  spoken  my  words.  And  he  said. 
Speak.  And  lie  said,  I  am  the  servant  of  Abraham. 
And  the  Lord  hath  blessed  my  master  greatly,  and  hath 

5  The  twenty-eighth  verse  is  wanting  in  this  Targum. 

*  Sama ,  “arsenic.”  “  Weisse  Erde  a  us  der  Insel  Samos” — 
Dessaueb.  "What  foundation  is  there  for  this  wretched  calumny  ? 


ON  GENESIS. 


235 


XXIV.] 

increased,  and  given  him  sheep  and  oxen,  silver  and 
gold,  servants  and  handmaids,  and  camels  and  asses. 
And  Sarah,  my  master's  wife,  bare  a  son  after  she  was 
old,  and  he  hath  given  to  him  all  that  he  hath.  And 
my  master  made  me  swear,  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  take 
a  wife  for  my  son  from  the  daughters  of  the  Kenaanites 
in  whose  land  I  dwell,  but  shall  go  to  my  kindred,  and 
take  a  wife  for  my  son.  But  I  said  to  my  master,  Per¬ 
haps  the  woman  will  not  come  after  me.  And  he  said 
to  me,  The  Lord  before  whom  I  worship  will  appoint 
His  angel  to  be  with  thee,  and  will  prosper  thy  way ;  and 
thou  shalt  take  a  wife  for  my  son  from  my  household, 
from  the  race  of  my  father's  house.  Then  shalt  thou  be 
free  from  my  oath  :  if,  when  thou  art  come  to  the  house 
of  my  kindred,  they  give  not  to  thee,  thou  shalt  be  free 
from  thy  oath. 

And  I  came  to-day  to  the  fountain,  and  said.  Lord 
God  of  my  master  Abraham,  if  now  Thou  hast  pros¬ 
pered  the  journey  upon  which  I  have  come,  behold,  I 
stand  at  the  fountain  of  water, — let  the  damsel  who  may 
come  forth  to  fill,  to  whom  I  will  say,  Give  me  now  a 
little  water  to  drink  from  thy  pitcher,  and  she  say. 
Drink,  and  for  thy  camels  also  will  I  draw,  be  the  wife 
whom  the  Lord  hath  prepared  by  His  decree7  for  my 
master's  son. 

I  had  not  yet  finished  speaking  in  the  thoughts  of 
my  heart,  when,  behold,  Rivekah  came  forth  with  the 
pitcher  upon  (her)  shoulder,  and  went  down  to  the 
fountain,  and  filled.  And  I  said.  Let  me  now  drink. 
And  she  hastened  ,and  let  down  her  pitcher  from  her, 
and  said,  Drink,  and  I  will  also  give  thy  camels  drink. 
And  I  asked  her,  and  said.  Whose  daughter  art  thou  ? 
And  she  said,  The  daughter  of  Bethuel,  the  son  of 

7  Be-mazla.  Mazal,  “a  planet,  propitious  star,  influence  of  the 

stars,  destiny,”  &c. 


236  TATtGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP.J 

Nachor,  whom  Milcha  bare  to  him.  And  I  set  the 
jewel  upon  her  brow,  and  the  bracelets  on  her  hand,  and 
bowed  and  worshipped  before  the  Lord ;  and  I  blessed 
the  Lord,  the  God  of  my  master  Abraham,  who  had  led 
me  in  the  true  way  to  take  the  daughter  of  my  master’s 
brother  for  his  son. 

And  now,  if  you.  will  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  my 
master,  tell  me ;  and  if  not,  tell  me,  that  I  may  turn  to 
the  south  or  to  the  north.  And  Laban  and  Bethuel 
answered  and  said,  The  thing  hath  come  forth  from 
before  the  Lord  that  Rivekah  should  be  given  to  Izhak, 
and  we  cannot  say  to  thee  either  evil  or  good.  Behold, 
Rivekah  is  before  thee,  take  and  go,  and  let  her  be  the 
wife  of  thy  master’s  son,  as  the  Lord  hath  spoken. 

And  when  Abraham’s  servant  heard  these  words,  he 
worshipped  on  the  ground  before  the  Lord.  And  the 
servant  brought  forth  vessels  of  silver  and  of  gold,  and 
vestments,  and  gave  them  to  Rivekah;  and  present# 
gave  he  to  her  brother  and  to  her  mother.  And  they 
ate  and  drank,  he  and  the  men  who  were  with  him,  and 
passed  the  night.  And  he  arose  in  the  morning,  and 
said,  Send  me  away  to  my  master.  But  as  they  were 
talking  in  the  evening,  Bethuel  had  eaten  of  that  pre¬ 
pared  food ;  and  in  the  morning  they  found  that  he  was 
dead.  And  the  brother  and  mother  said  therefore,  Let 
the  damsel  dwell  with  us  the  days  of  one  year  or  ten 
months,  and  then  she  shall  go.  And  he  said,  Hinder 
me  not,  when  the  Lord  hath  prospered  my  way ;  let 
me  depart,  and  I  will  go  to  my  master.  And  they 
said,  We  will  call  Rivekah,  and  hear  what  she  says. 
And  they  called  Rivekah,  and  said  to  her,  Wilt  thou 
go  with  this  man  ?  Aud  she  said,  I  will  go. 

And  they  let  Rivekah  their  sister  go,  and  her  nurse, 
and  the  servant  of  Abraham,  and  his  men.  And  they 
blessed  Rivekah,  and  said  to  her.  Hitherto  thou  wast 


ON  GENESIS. 


237 


XXIV.] 

our  sister ;  and  now  thou  art  going  and  art  wedded  to 
the  righteous ;  so  prosper  thou,  that  from  thee  may 
come  thousands  of  myriads  ;  and  may  thy  sons  inherit 
the  cities  of  those  who  hate  them. 

And  Bivekah  arose,  and  her  damsel,  and  they  rode 
upon  camels,  and  went  after  the  man.  And  the  ser¬ 
vant  took  Bivekah  with  him  and  journeyed.  And  as 
the  way  was  shortened  to  him  in  his  journey  to  Padan 
Aram,  so  was  it  shortened  to  him  in  his  return,  that  in 
one  day  he  went,  and  in  one  day  he  returned. 

And  Izliak  was  coming  from  the  school  of  the  Babba 
Shem,8  by  the  way  of  the  fountain  where  had  been 
revealed  to "  him  the  Living  and  Eternal  One,  who 
seeth,  and  is  not  seen ;  and  he  resided  in  the  land  of 
the  south.  [Jerusalem.  And  Izhak  was  coming 
from  the  school  of  the  Babba  Shem,  at  the  fountain 
where  had  been  revealed  to  him  the  Shekinah  of  the 
Lord ;  and  he  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the  south.]  And 
Izhak  went  forth  to  pray  upon  the  face  of  the  field  at 
:he  time  of  evening ;  and  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and 
saw,  and,  behold,  the  camels  were  approaching. 

And  Bivekah  lifted  up  her  eyes,  and  saw  Izhak,  and 
she  bowed  upon  the  camel.  And  she  said  to  the  ser¬ 
vant,  Who  is  the  man  (so)  majestic  and  graceful,  who 
walks  in  the  field  before  us  ?  And  the  servant  said, 
He  is  my  master.  And  she  took  a  veil  and  covered 
berself.  [Jerusalem.  And  she  took  a  veil,  and 
wrapped  herself  in  it.] 

And  the  servant  related  to  Izhak  everything  he  had 
lone.  And  Izhak  introduced  her  into  the  tabernacle  of 
Sarah  his  mother,  and  thereupon  the  light  (again)  shined 
which  had  gone  out  at  the  time  of  Sarah's  death. 
rVnd  he  took  Bivekah,  and  she  was  his  wife,  and  he 
oved  her ;  for  he  saw  her  works  that  they  were  upright 
9  Beth  medresha  de  Shem  rabba. 


238  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP* 

as  the  works  of  his  mother.  And  Izhak  was  consoled 
after  his  mother's  death. 

XXY.  And  Abraham  added  and  took  a  wife,  and  her 
name  was  Keturah;  she  is  Hagar,  who  had  been  bound9 
to  him  from  the  beginning.  [Jerusalem.  She  is 
Hagar,  who  had  been  tied  to  him  from  the  beginning.] 
And  she  bare  to  him  Zimran,  and  Jokshan,  and  Medan, 
and  Midyan,  and  Yishbak,  and  Shovack.  And  Jokshan 
begat  Sheva  and  Dedan ;  and  the  sons  of  Dedan  were 
merchants,  and  negotiators,  and  chiefs  of  peoples, 
[Jerusalem.  Merchants,  and  artificers,  and  chiefs  of 
peoples.]  And  the  sons  of  Midyan,  Eipher,  and 
Epher,  and  Hanok,  and  Abida,  and  Aldaah,  all  these 
were  the  sons  of  Keturah.  And  Abraham  gave  the 
gift  of  all  he  had  to  Izhak.  And  to  the  sons  of  the 
concubines  of  Abraham  gave  Abraham  riches  and  move- 
able  property  as  gifts,  and  sent  them  away  from  Izhak 
his  son  while  he  (yet)  lived  ;  and  they  went  and  dwelt 
eastward  in  the  land  of  the  orient. 

And  this  is  the  number  of  the  days  of  the  life  of 
Abraham,  who  lived  a  hundred  and  seventy  and  five 
years.  And  Abraham  expired,  and  died  in  a  good  old 
age,  aged  and  satisfied  with  all  good.  (Also  Ishmael 
wrought  repentance  in  his  days,  and  afterwards  was 
gathered  to  his  people.)  And  Izhak  and  Ishmael  his 
sons  buried  him  in  the  double  cavern,  at  the  field  of 
Ephran  bar  Zochar,  the  Hittite,  which  is  before  Mamre ; 
the  field  that  Abraham  purchased  of  the  sons  of  Hittah : 
there  was  Abraham  buried  and  Sarah  his  wife. 

And  because  Abraham  had  not  designed  to  bless 
Ishmael,  therefore  he  blessed  not  Izhak  ;  for  had  he 
blessed  Izhak  and  not  Ishmael,  it  would  have  kept 
them  in  enmity.  But,  after  the  death  of  Abraham,  the 
Lord  blessed  Izhak ;  and  Izhak  dwelt  near  the  well 

•  Keturah ,  “  tlie  bound  one,”  from  keter,  “  to  bind.” 


XXV.]  ON  GENESIS.  239 

at  which  was  revealed  the  glory  of  the  Living  and 
Eternal  One,  who  seeth  and  is  not  seen. 

And  these  are  the  generations  of  Ishmael  bar  Abra¬ 
ham,  whom  Hagar  the  Mizreitha,  the  handmaid  of 
Sarah,  bare  unto  Abraham.  And  these  are  the  names 
of  the  sons  of  Ishmael  by  their  names,  according  to 
their  generations.  The  firstborn  of  Ishmael,  Neboi, 
and  Arab,  and  Abdeel,  and  Mibsham, — Hearing,  Silence, 
Patience,  and  Sharpness :  and  Tema,  Yetur,  Naphish, 
and  Kedemah.  These  were  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  and 
these  their  names  in  their  villages,  and  in  their  fenced 
dwellings,  twelve  chiefs  of  their  peoples.  And  these  are 
the  years  of  the  life  of  Ishmael,  a  hundred  and  thirty 
and  seven  years ;  and  he  was  converted  in  repentance, 
and  expired,  and  was  gathered  to  his  people.  And 
they  dwelt  from  Hindiki  unto  Chalutsa,  which  is  in 
face  of  Mizraim  from  going  up  to  Athur.  Before  the 
face  of  all  his  brethren  he  dwelt  in  his  possession. 
[Jerusalem.  In  their  villages,  and  in  their  fenced 
dwellings  (or  encampments).  Twelve  chiefs  of  their 
peoples.  And  they  dwelt  from  Hindekaia  unto 
Chalutsa,  which  is  by  the  side  of  Mizraim,  from  thy 
going  up  towards  Athur.  Before  all  his  brethren  he 
dwelt.] 


SECTION  VI. 

TOLEDOTH. 

These  are  the  generations  of  Izhak  bar  Abraham. 
And  because  the  appearance  of  Izhak  resembled  the 
appearance  of  Abraham,  the  sons  of  men  said,  In  truth 
Abraham  begat  Izhak.  And  Izhak  was  the  son  of 


240  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

forty  years  when  he  took  Rivekah,  the  daughter  of 
Bethuel  the  Aramite,  who  was  of  Padan  Aram,  the  sister 
of  Laban  the  Aramite,  unto  him  for  a  wife.  And  Izhak 
went  to  the  mountain  of  worship,  the  place  where  his 
father  had  bound  him.  And  Izhak  in  his  prayer  turned 
the  attention  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He  !  from 
that  which  He  had  decreed  respecting  his  wife,  because 
she  had  been  barren  twenty  and  two  years ;  and  changed 
also  was  the  intention  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He ! 
from  that  which  He  had  decreed  concerning  him  who 
had  been  childless.  And  he  was  enlarged,  and  Rivekah 
his  wife  was  with  child.  And  the  children  pressed  in 
her  womb  as  men  doing  battle.  And  she  said,  If  this 
is  the  anguish  of  a  mother,  what  then  are  children  to 
me  ?  And  she  went  into  the  school  of  Shem  Rabba  to 
supplicate  mercy  before  the  Lord.  [Jerusalem.  And 
the  children  pressed  in  her  womb,  and  she  said,  If  such 
be  the  anguish  of  a  mother,  what  now  is  life,  that 
children  are  to  be  mine?  And  she  went  to  supplicate 
mercy  before  the  Lord  in  the  beth  midrash  of  Shem 
Rabba.]  And  the  Lord  said  to  her,  Two  peoples  are 
in  thy  womb,  and  two  kingdoms  from  thy  womb  shall 
be  separated  ;  and  one  kingdom  shall  be  stronger  than 
the  other,  and  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger,  if  the 
children  of  the  younger  will  keep  the  commandments  of 

the  Law.  J 

And  the  two  hundred  and  seventy  days  of  her  being 
with  child  were  completed  to  bring  forth ;  and,  behold, 
twins  were  in  her  womb.  And  the  first  came  forth 
wholly  red,  as  a  garment  of  hair :  and  they  called  his 
name  Esau,1  because  he  was  born  altogether  complete, 
with  the  hair  of  the  head,  and  the  beard,  and  teeth,  and 
grinders.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  first  came  forth 
wholly  red,  as  a  garment  of  hair :  and  they  called  his 
1  "Ready  made,”  or,  according  to  others,  "rough,  hairy.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


241 


XXV.] 

name  Esau.]  Afterward  came  forth  his  brother,  and 
his  hand  had  hold  on  the  heel  of  Esau.  And  they 
called  his  name  Jakob  ( YaaJcov ).8  And  Izhak  was  a 
son  of  sixty  years  when  he  begat  them. 

And  the  lads  grew ;  and  Esau  was  a  man  of  idleness8 
to  catch  birds  and  beasts,  a  man  going  forth  into  the 
field  to  kill  lives,  as  Nimrod  had  killed,  and  Hanok  his 
son.  But  Jakob  was  a  man  peaceful  in  his  works,  a 
minister  of  the  instruction-house  of  Eber,  seeking 
instruction  before  the  Lord.  And  Izhak  loved  Esau, 
for  words  of  deceit  were  in  his  mouth ;  but  Bivekah 
loved  Jakob. 

On  the  day  that  Abraham  died,  Jakob  dressed  pot¬ 
tage  of  lentiles,  and  was  going  to  comfort  his  father. 
And  Esau  came  from  the  wilderness,  exhausted  ;  for  in 
that  day  he  had  committed  five  transgressions  :  he  had 
worshipped  with  strange  worship,  he  had  shed  innocent 
blood,  he  had  gone  in  unto  a  betrothed  damsel,  he  had 
denied  the  life  of  the  world  to  come,  and  had  despised 
the  birthright.  And  Esau  said  to  Jakob,  Let  me  now 
taste  that  red  pottage,  for  I  am  faint, — therefore  he 
called  his  name  Edom.4  And  Jakob  said,  Sell  to-day, 
as  (on  this  very)  day,  what  thou  wouldst  hereafter 
appropriate,  thy  birthright,  unto  me.  And  Esau 
said,  Behold,  I  am  going  to  die,  and  in  another  world 
I  shall  have  no  life;  and  what  then  to  me  is  the  birth¬ 
right,  or  the  portion  in  the  world  of  which  thou 
speakest  ?  And  Jakob  said,  Swear  to  me  to-day  that 
I  so  it  shall  be.  And  he  sware  to  him,  and  sold  his 
!  birthright  to  Jakob.  And  Jakob  gave  to  Esau  bread 
jaud  pottage  of  lentiles.  And  he  ate  and  drank,  and 
arose  and  went.  And  Esau  scorned  the  birthright,  and 
the  portion  of  the  world  that  cometh.  [Jerusalem. 

*  From  agav ,  “  to  hold  by  the  heel,  to  trip  up,  to  act  deceitfully.” 

3  Or,  “leisure”  4  “  Red.” 


242  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP.  1 

And  he  arose,  and  went.  And  Esau  despised  the  1 
birthright,  and  yilified  the  portion  in  the  world  that  | 
cometh,  and  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.] 

XXYI.  And  there  was  a  mighty  famine  in  the  land  1 
of  Kenaan,  besides  the  former  famine  which  had  been  1 
in  the  days  of  Abraham  ;  and  Izhak  went  to  Abimelek  1 
king  of  the  Philistaee  at  Gerar.  It  had  been  in 
Izhak*  s  heart  to  go  dowTn  to  Mizraim  ;  but  the  Lord 
appeared  to  him,  and  said,  Go  not  down  to  Mizraim ;  1 
dwell  in  the  land  as  I  have  told  thee ;  sojourn  in  the  | 
land,  and  My  Word  shall  be  for  thy  help,  and  I  will 
bless  thee ;  for  to  the  end  to  thy  sons  will  I  give  all  j 
these  lands,  and  I  will  establish  the  covenant  which  I  | 
have  covenanted  with  Abraham  thy  father.  And  I 
will  multiply  thy  sons  as  the  stars  of  the  heavens,  and 
will  give  to  thy  sons  all  these  lands,  and  through  thy 
sons  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed ;  on 
account  that  Abraham  obeyed  My  word,  and  kept  the  ^ 
keeping  of  My  wmrd,  My  statutes,  My  covenants,  and 
My  lawrs.  And  Izhak  dwelt  in  Gerar.  And  the  men 
of  the  place  inquired  concerning  his  wife ;  and  he  said,  , 
She  is  my  sister  :  for  he  reasoned  in  his  heart,  Lest  the  , 
men  of  the  place  should  kill  me  for  Rivekah,  because  ■ 
she  was  of  beautiful  appearance.  And  it  was  when  j 
days  had  increased  to  him  in  abiding  there,  that  Abime¬ 
lek  the  king  of  the  Philistaee  looked  from  a  window,  1 
and  beheld,  and  Izhak  was  disporting  with  Rivekah  his 
wife.  [Jerusalem.  And  he  looked.]  And  Abimelek 
called  Izhak,  and  said.  Nevertheless  she  is  thy  wife; 
and  wliy  hast  thou  said,  She  is  my  sister  ?  And  Izhak 
answered  him,  Because  I  said  in  my  heart.  Lest  they 
kill  me  on  her  account.  And  Abimelek  said,  Why  hast 
thou  done  this  to  us  ?  It  might  have  been  that  the 
king,  w  ho  is  the  principal 5  of  the  people,  had  lain  with 
5  Or,  “the  individual  ( myechad ),  the  personal  representative.”  i 


XXVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  243 

thy  wife,  and  thou  wouldst  have  brought  guilt  upon  us. 
[Jerusalem.  And  Abimelek  said  to  him,  What  is  this 
that  thou  hast  done  to  us  ?  Yery  possibly  might  one 
of  the  young  men  have  lain  with  thy  wife,  and  there 
would  have  been  great  guilt  brought  upon  us.] 

And  Abimelek  instructed  all  the  people.  Whoever 
shall  go  near  to  injure  this  man  or  his  wife,  shall  verily 
be  put  to  death.  And  Izhak  sowed  unto  righteousness 
in  that  land,  and  found  in  that  year  a  hundred  for  one, 
according  to  his  measure.  And  the  Lord  blessed  him, 
and  the  man  increased,  and  went  forward  increasing 
until  he  was  very  great.  And  he  had  flocks  of  sheep, 
and  herds  of  cattle,  and  great  cultivation;  and  the 
Philistaee  envied  him.  And  all  the  wells  which  the 
servants  of  his  father  had  digged  in  the  days  of  Abra¬ 
ham  his  father,  the  Philistaee  stopped  up  and  filled  with 
earth. 

And  Abimelek  said  to  Izhak,  Go  from  us ;  for  thou 
art  stronger  than  we  in  riches  very  much.  And  Izhak 
went  thence,  and  sojourned  in  the  vale  of  Gerar,  and 
dwelt  there.  And  Izhak  digged  again  the  wrells  of 
water  which  the  servants  of  his  father  had  digged  in 
the  days  of  Abraham  his  father,  and  which  the  Philis¬ 
taee  had  stopped  after  Abraham  was  dead ;  and  he  called 
them  by  the  names  his  father  had  called  them.  And 
the  servants  of  Izhak  digged  in  the  border  of  the  vale, 
and  found  there  a  well  of  flowing  water.  And  the 
shepherds  of  Gerar  contended  with  Izhak's  shepherds, 
saying,  The  water  is  ours.  And  it  was  the  will  of 
Heaven,  and  it  dried.  But  when  they  returned  to 
Izhak,  it  flowed.  And  he  called  the  name  of  the  well 
(. Esek )  Contention,  because  (etheseJcu)  they  had  quar¬ 
relled  with  him  on  account  of  it.  And  they  digged 
another  well ;  and  they  contended  for  it  also ;  and  it 
dried,  and  did  not  flow  again.  And  he  called  the 
m  2 


244  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

name  of  it  ( Sitnah )  Accusation.  And  he  removed 
from  thence  and  digged  another  well,  and  for  that  they 
did  not  contend  as  formerly,  and  he  called  the  name 
of  it  ( Ravchatha )  Spaciousness;  for  he  said,  Now  hath 
the  Lord  given  us  space  to  spread  us  abroad  in  the 
land.  And  he  went  up  from  thence  unto  Beersheba. 
And  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  that  night,  and  said, 
I  am  the  God  of  Abraham  thy  father  :  fear  not ;  for  My 
Word  is  for  thy  help,  and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  multiply 
thy  sons  for  the  righteousness*  sake  of  Abraham  My 
servant.  And  he  builded  there  an  altar,  and  prayed 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  he  spread  his  tabernacle 
there,  and  the  servants  of  Izhak  digged  there  a  well. 
And  when  Izhak  went  forth  from  Gerar  the  wells  dried 
up,  and  the  trees  made  no  fruit ;  and  they  felt  that  it 
was  because  they  had  driven  him  away,  all  these  things 
had  befallen  them.  And  Abimelek  went  to  him  from 
Gerar,  and  took  his  friends  to  go  with  him,  and  Phikol 
the  chief  of  his  host.  And  Izhak  said  to  them.  Why 
come  you  to  me  that  I  should  pray  for  you,  when  you 
have  hated  me,  and  driven  me  from  you  ?  And  they 
answered.  Seeing,  we  have  seen,  that  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  is  for  thy  help,  and  for  thy  righteousness*  sake  all 
good  hath  been  to  us ;  but  when  thou  wentest  forth 
from  our  land  the  wells  dried  up,  and  our  trees  made 
no  fruit ;  then  we  said,  We  will*  cause  him  to  return  to 
us.  And  now  let  there  be  an  oath  established  between 
us,  and  kindnesses  between  us  and  thee,  and  we  will 
enter  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  lest  thou  do  us  evil. 
Forasmuch  as  we  have  not  come  nigh  thee  for  evil,  and 
as  we  have  acted  with  thee  only  for  good,  and  have 
indeed  sent  thee  away  in  peace;  thou  art  now  blessed 
of  the  Lord.  And  they  arose  in  the  morning,  each  man 
with  his  brother ;  and  he  broke  off  from  the  bridle  of 
his  ass,  and  gave  one  part  to  them  for  a  testimony. 


XXVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  245 

And  Izhak  prayed  for  them,  and  they  were  enlarged. 
And  Izhak  accompanied  them,  and  they  went  from  him 

in  peace. 

And  on  that  day  the  servants  of  Izhak  came  and  told 
him  concerning  the  well  they  had  digged,  and  said  to 
him,  We  have  found  water ;  and  he  called  it  Sheba 
(the  Swearing)  ;  therefore  the  name  of  the  city  is 
Beersheba  unto  this  day. 

And  Esau  was  the  son  of  forty  years ;  and  he  took 
to  wife  Yehudith  daughter  of  Beari  the  Hittah,  and 
Basemath  daughter  of  Elon  the  Hittah.  And  they 
bowed  in  strange  worship,  and  set  themselves  to  rebel 
in  their  evil  conduct  against  Izhak  and  against  Rivekah . 
[Jerusalem.  And  they  were  refractory,  swelling  in 
spirit  with  strange  worship,  and  would  not  receive 
instruction  either  from  Izhak  or  Rivekah.] 

XXYII.  And  it  was  when  Izhak  was  old  and  his 
eyes  were  darkened  from  seeing, — because  when  his 
father  was  binding  him  he  had  seen  the  Throne  of 
Glory,  and  from  that  time  his  eyes  had  begun  to 
darken, — that  he  called  Esau  his  elder  son,  on  the 
fourteenth  of  Nisan,  and  said  to  him.  My  son,  behold, 
this  night  they  on  high  praise  the  Lord  of  the  world, 
and  the  treasures  of  the  dew  are  opened  in  it.  And  he 
said,  Behold,  I  am. 

And  he  said.  Behold,  now  I  am  old ;  I  know  not  the 
day  of  my  death:  but  now  take  thy  weapons,6  thy 
quiver 7  and  thy  bow  ;  and  go  forth  into  the  field,  and 
take  me  venison,  and  make  me  food  such  as  I  love,  and 
bring  to  me,  and  I  will  eat,  that  my  soul  may  bless 
thee  ere  I  die. 

And  Rivekah  heard  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as  Izhak 
spake  with  Esau  his  son.  And  Esau  went  to  the 
field  to  take  venison  to  bring  it.  And  Rivekah  spake 

*  "  The  instruments  of  thy  arms.”  7  “  House  of  arrows.” 


246  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

to  Jakob  her  son,  saying,  Behold,  this  night  those  on 
high  praise  the  Lord  of  the  world,  and  the  treasures  of 
the  dew  are  opened  in  it ;  and  I  have  heard  thy  father 
speaking  with  Esau  thy  brother,  saying,  Bring  me 
venison,  and  make  me  food,  and  I  will  bless  thee  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  before  I  die.  And  now  my  son 
receive  from  me  what  I  command  thee  :  Go  now  to  the 
house  of  the  flock,  and  take  me  from  thence  two  fat 
kids  of  the  goats  ;  one  for  the  pascha,  and  one  for  the 
oblation  of  the  feast ;  and  I  will  make  of  them  food  for 
thy  father  such  as  he  loveth.  And  thou  shalt  carry  to 
thy  father,  and  he  will  eat,  that  he  may  bless  thee 
before  his  death. 

And  because  Jakob  was  afraid  to  sin,  fearing  lest  his 
father  might  curse  him,  he  said,  Behold,  Esau  my 
brother  is  a  hairy  man,  and  I  am  a  smooth  man.  Per¬ 
haps  my  father  will  feel  me,  and  I  shall  be  in  his  eyes 
like  one  who  derideth  him,  and  bring  upon  me  a  curse 
and  not  a  blessing. 

And  she  said.  If  with  blessings  he  bless  thee,  they 
shall  be  upon  thee  and  upon  thy  sons;  and  if  with 
curses  he  should  curse  thee,  they  shall  be  upon  me  and 
upon  my  soul :  therefore  receive  from  me,  and  go  and 
take  for  me. 

And  he  went  and  took,  and  brought  to  his  mother ; 
and  his  mother  made  food  such  as  his  father  loved. 
And  Bivekah  took  the  pleasant  vestments  of  Esau  her 
elder  son  which  had  formerly  been  Adam's ;  but  which 
that  day  Esau  had  not  worn,  but  they  remained  with 
her  in  the  house,  and  (with  them)  she  dressed  Jakob 
her  younger  son.  And  the  skins  of  the  kids  she  laid 
upon  his  hands  and  the  smooth  parts  of  his  neck. 
And  the  food  and  the  bread  she  had  made  she  set  in 
the  hand  of  Jakob  her  son. 

And  he  entered  unto  his  father,  and  said,  My 


XXVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  247 

father.  And  he  said,  Behold  me :  who  art  thou,  my 
son  ?  And  Jacob  said  to  his  father,  I  am  Esau  thy 
firstborn  :  I  have  done  as  thou  spakest  with  me.  Arise 
now,  sit 8  and  eat  of  my  venison,  that  thy  soul  may  bless 
me.  And  Izhak  said  to  his  son,  What  is  this  that 
thou  hast  found  so  soon,  my  son  ?  And  he  said, 
Because  the  Lord  thy  God  had  prepared  it  before  me. 
And  Izhak  said  to  Jakob,  Come  near  now,  and  I  will 
feel  thee,  my  son,  whether  thou  be  my  son  Esau  or 
not.  And  Jakob  drew  near  to  Izhak  his  father,  who 
touched  him,  and  said,  This  voice  is  the  voice  of  Jakob, 
nevertheless  the  feeling  of  the  hands  is  as  the  feeling  of 
the  hands  of  Esau.  But  he  recognised  him  not, 
because  his  hands  were  hairy  as  the  hands  of  Esau  his 
brother,  and  he  blessed  him.  And  he  said.  But  art 
thou  my  son  Esau  ?  And  he  said,  I  am.  And  he  said, 
Draw  near,  and  I  will  eat  of  my  son's  venison,  that  my 
soul  may  bless  thee.  And  he  approached  him,  and  he 
ate ;  and  he  had  no  wine ;  but  an  angel  prepared  it  for 
him,  from  the  wine  which  had  been  kept  in  its  grapes 
from  the  days  of  the  beginning  of  the  world ;  and  he 
gave  it  into  Jakob's  hand,  and  Jakob  brought  it  to  his 
father,  and  he  drank.  And  Izhak  his  father  said.  Draw 
near  now,  and  kiss  me,  my  son ;  and  Jakob  drew  near 
and  kissed  him.  And  he  smelled  the  smell  of  his  vest¬ 
ments,  and  blessed  him,  and  said.  See,  the  smell  of  my 
son  is  as  the  smell  of  the  fragrant  incense  which  is  to  be 
offered  on  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  sanctuary, 
which  shall  be  called  a  field  which  the  Lord  hath 
blessed,  and  that  He  hath  chosen,  that  therein  His 
Shekinah  might  dwell. 

Therefore  the  Word  of  the  Lord  give  thee  of  the 

8  Or,  “  recline.” 

9  Jerusalem,  “  The  feeling  of  his  hands,  the  feeling  of  the  hands 

of  Esau.” 


248  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

good  dews  which  descend  from  the  heavens,  and  of  the 
good  fountains  that  spring  up,  and  make  the  herbage 
of  the  earth  to  grow  from  beneath,  and  plenty  of  pro¬ 
vision  and  wine.  Let  peoples  be  subject  to  the£,  all 
the  sons  of  Esau,  and  kingdoms  bend  before  thee,  all 
the  sons  of  Keturah ;  a  chief  and  a  ruler  be  thou  over 
thy  brethren,  and  let  the  sons  of  thy  mother  salute 
thee.  Let  them  who  curse  thee,  my  son,  be  accursed 
as  Bileam  bar  Beor ;  and  them  who  bless  thee  be  blessed 
as  Mosheh  the  prophet,  the  scribe  of  Israel.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  Let  peoples  serve  before  thee,  all  the  sons 
of  Esau  :  all  kings  be  subject  to  thee,  all  the  sons 
of  Ishmael :  be  thou  a  chief  and  a  ruler  over  the  sons  of 
Keturah :  all  the  sons  of  Laban  the  brother  of  thy 
mother  shall  come  before  thee  and  salute  thee.  Whoso 
curseth  thee,  Jakob,  my  son,  shall  be  accursed  as 
Bileam  ben  Beor ;  and  whoso  blesseth  thee  shall  be 
blessed  as  Mosheh  the  prophet  and  scribe  of  Israel.] 

And  it  was  when  Izliak  had  finished  blessing  Jakob, 
and  Jakob  had  only  gone  out  about  two  handbreadths 
from  Izhak  his  father,  that  Esau  his  brother  came  in 
from  his  hunting.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  had 
impeded  him  from  taking  clean  venison ;  but  he  had 
found  a  certain  dog,1  and  killed  him,  and  made  food  of 
him,  and  brought  to  his  father,  and  said  to  his  father, 
Arise,  my  father,  and  eat  of  my  venison,  that  thy  soul 
may  bless  me. 

And  Izhak  his  father  said  to  him,  Who  art  thou  ? 
And  he  said,  I  am  thy  firstborn,  Esau.  And  Izhak  was 
moved  with  great  agitation  when  he  heard  the  voice  of 
Esau,  and  the  smell  of  his  food  rose  in  his  nostrils  as 
the  smell  of  the  burning  of  Gehennam ;  and  he  said, 
Who  is  he  who  hath  got  venison,  and  come  to  me,  aud 
I  have  eaten  of  all  which  he  brought  me  before  thou 

1  Calumny. 


ON  GENESIS. 


XXVII.] 


249 


earnest,  and  I  have  blessed  him,  and  he  shall,  too,  be 
blessed  ? 

When  Esau  heard  the  words  of  his  father,  he  cried 
with  a  cry  exceeding  great  and  bitter,  and  said  to  his 
father,  Bless  me,  me  also,  my  father !  And  he  said. 
Thy  brother  hath  come  with  subtilty,  and  hath  received 
from  me  thy  blessing.  And  he  said,  His  name  is  truly 
called  Jakob ;  for  he  hath  dealt  treacherously  with  me 
these  two  times  :  my  birthright  he  took,  and,  behold, 
now  he  hath  received  my  blessing  !  And  he  said,  Hast 
thou  not  reserved  a  blessing  for  me  ?  And  Izhak 
answered  and  said  to  Esau,  Behold,  I  have  appointed 
him  a  ruler  over  thee,  and  all  his  brethren  have  I  made 
to  be  his  servants,  and  with  provision  and  wine  have  I 
sustained  him  :  and  now  go,  leave  me ;  for  what  can  I 
do  for  thee,  my  son  ?  And  Esau  answered  his  father, 
Hast  thou  but  one  blessing,  my  father  ?  Bless  me,  me 
also,  my  father.  And  Esau  lifted  up  his  voice  and 
wept. 

And  Izhak  answered  and  said  to  Esau,  Behold, 
among  the  good  fruits  of  the  earth  shall  be  thy  habita¬ 
tion,  and  with  the  dews  of  the  heavens  from  above. 
And  upon  thy  sword  shalt  thou  depend,  entering  at 
svery  place  :  yet  thou  shalt  be  supple  and  credulous,  and 
be  in  subjection  to  thy  brother ;  but  it  will  be  that 
tfhen  his  sons  become  evil,  and  fall  from  keeping  the 
commandments  of  the  law,  thou  shalt  break  his  yoke 
)f  servitude  from  off  thy  neck.  [Jerusalem.  And  by 
hy  weapons  thou  shalt  live,  and  before  thy  brother  be 
subject.  And  it  shall  be  when  the  sons  of  Jakob  labour 
n  the  law,  and  keep  the  commandments,  they  will  set 
he  yoke  of  subjection  on  thy  neck ;  but  when  the  sons 
>f  Jakob  withdraw  themselves  and  study  not  the  law, 
lor  keep  the  commandments,  behold,  then  shalt  thou 
>reak  their  yoke  of  subjection  from  off  thy  neck.] 
m  5 


250  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP.  1 

And  Esau  kept  hatred  in  his  heart  against  Jakob  his 
brother,  on  account  of  the  order  of  blessing  with  which 
his  father  had  blessed  him.  And  Esau  said  in  his 
heart,  I  will  not  do  as  Kain  did,  who  slew  Habel  in  the 
life  (time)  of  his  father,  for  which  his  father  begat  Sheth, 
but  will  wait  till  the  time  when  the  days  of  mourning 
for  the  death  of  my  father  come,  and  then  will  I  kill 
Jakob  my  brother,  and  will  be  found  the  killer  and  the 
heir. 

And  the  words  of  Esau  her  elder  son,  who  thought 
in  his  heart  to  kill  Jakob,  were  shown  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  Eivekah,  and  she  sent,  and  called  Jakob  her 
younger  son,  and  said  to  him,  Behold,  Esau  thy  brother 
lieth  in  wait  for  thee,  and  plotteth  against  thee  to 
kill  thee.  And  now,  my  son,  hearken  to  me  :  arise, 
escape  for  thy  life,  and  go  unto  Laban  my  brother,  at 
Haran,  and  dwell  with  him  a  few  days,  until  the  wrath 
of  thy  brother  be  abated,  until  thy  brother's  anger  have 
quieted  from  thee,  and  he  have  forgotten  what  thou 
hast  done  to  him ;  and  I  will  send  and  take  thee  from 
thence.  Why  should  I  be  bereaved  of  you  both  in  one 
day  :  thou  being  slain,  and  he  driven  forth,  as  Hava 
was  bereaved  of  Habel,  whom  Kain  slew,  and  both  were 
removed  from  before  Adam  and  Hava  all  the  days  of 
the  life  of  Adam  and  Hava  ?  [Jerusalem.  Until  the 
time  when  the  bitterness  of  thy  brother  shall  be  turned 
away  from  thee.] 

And  Eivekah  said  to  Izhak,  I  am  afflicted  in  my  life 
on  account  of  the  indignity  of  the  daughters  of  lieth. 
If  Jakob  take  a  wicked  wife  from  the  daughters  of 
lieth,  such  as  these  of  the  daughters  of  the  people  of 
the  land,  what  will  life  be  to  me  ? 

XXVIII.  And  Izhak  called  Jakob,  and  blessed  him, 
and  commanded  him,  and  said  to  him,  Thou  shalt  not 
take  a  wife  from  the  daughters  of  the  Kenaanaee. 


XXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  251 

Arise,  go  to  Padan  of  Aram,  to  the  house  of  Bethuel 
thy  mother's  father,  and  take  thee  from  thence  a  wife 
from  the  daughters  of  Laban  thy  mother's  brother. 
And  El  Shadai  will  bless  thee  with  many  possessions, 
and  increase  thee  and  multiply  thee  into  twelve  tribes, 
and  thou  shalt  be  worthy  of  the  congregation  of  the 
sons  of  the  Sanhedrin,  the  sum  of  which  is  seventy, 
according  to  the  number  of  the  nations.  And  He  will 
give  the  blessing  of  Abraham  to  thee,  and  to  thy  sons 
with  thee,  and  cause  thee  to  inherit  the  land  of  thy 
sojourning,  which  he  gave  unto  Abraham.  And  Izhak 
sent  Jakob  away,  and  he  went  to  Padan  Aram  unto 
Laban  bar  Bethuel  the  Aramite,  the  brother  of  Bivekah 
the  mother  of  Jakob  and  Esau. 

And  Esau  considered  that  Izhak  had  blessed  Jakob, 
and  had  sent  him  to  Padan  Aram  to  take  to  him  from 
thence  a  wife,  when  he  blessed  him,  and  commanded 
him,  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters 
of  the  Kenaanites;  and  that  Jakob  obeyed  the  word  of 
his  father,  and  the  word  of  his  mother,  and  was  gone  to 
Padan  Aram  :  and  Esau  considered  that  the  daughters 
of  Kenaan  were  evil  before  Izhak  his  father,  and  Esau 
went  unto  Ishmael,  and  took  to  wife  Mahalath,  who  is 
Basemath  the  daughter  of  Ishmael  bar  Abraham,  the 
sister  of  Nebaioth  from  his  mother,  besides  his  other 
wives. 


252 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


SECTION  VII. 

VAYETSE. 

Five  miracles  were  wrought  for  our  father  Jakob  at 
the  time  that  he  went  forth  from  Beersheba.  The  first 
sign :  the  hours  of  the  day  were  shortened,  and  the  sun 
went  down  before  his  time,  forasmuch  as  the  Word  had 
desired  to  speak  with  him.  The  second  sign  :  the  four 
stones  which  Jakob  had  set  for  his  pillow  he  found  in 
the  morning  had  become  one  stone.  Sign  the  third  : 
the  stone  which,  when  all  the  flocks  were  assembled, 
they  rolled  from  the  mouth  of  the  well,  he  rolled  away 
with  one  of  his  arms.  The  fourth  sign  :  the  well  over¬ 
flowed,  and  the  water  rose  to  the  edge  of  it,  and  con¬ 
tinued  to  overflow  all  the  days  that  he  was  in  Haran. 
The  fifth  sign  :  the  country  was  shortened  before  him, 
so  that  in  one  day  he  went  forth  and  came  to  Haran. 

And  he  prayed  in  the  place  of  the  house  of  the 
sanctuary,  and  lodged  there,  because  the  sun  had  gone 
down.  And  he  took  four  stones  of  the  holy  place,  and 
set  his  pillow,  and  slept  in  that  place.  And  he  dreamed, 
and,  behold,  a  ladder  was  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  the 
top  of  it  reached  to  the  height  of  heaven.  And,  behold, 
the  two  angels  who  went  unto  Sedom,  and  who  had 
been  expelled  from  the  midst  of  them,  because  they  had 
revealed  the  secrets  of  the  Lord  of  the  world ;  and  being 
cast  forth  they  had  walked  till  the  time  that  Jakob  went 
out  from  the  house  of  his  father,  and  had  accompanied 
him  with  kindliness  unto  Bethel, — in  that  day  had 
ascended  to  the  high  heavens,  and  said,  Come,  see 
Jakob  the  pious,  whose  likeness  is  inlaid  in  the  throne 
of  glory,  and  whom  you  have  so  greatly  desired  to 
behold.  Then  the  rest  of  the  angels  of  the  holy  Lord 
descended  to  look  upon  him. 


XXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  253 

[Jerusalem.  Five  signs  were  wrought  for  our  father 
Jakob  at  the  time  he  went  forth  from  Beersheba  to 
go  unto  Haran.  The  first  sign  :  the  hours  of  the  day 
were  shortened  for  him,  and  the  sun  was  hidden  from 
him  before  its  time,  because  His  Word  had  desired  to 
speak  with  him.  The  second  sign :  after  our  father 
Jakob  had  lifted  up  his  feet  from  Beersheba,  the 
country  was  shortened  before  him,  and  he  found  himself 
sitting  in  Haran.  The  third  sign  :  the  stones  which 
Jakob  our  father  had  taken  in  the  evening,  and  set  as 
the  resting-place  of  his  head,  when  he  had  risen  in  the 
morning  he  found  had  all  become  one  stone ;  and  that 
is  the  stone  which  he  set  up  in  the  first  covenant, 
pouring  oil  upon  the  top  of  it.  The  fourth  sign  :  when 
all  the  shepherds  had  gathered  together  at  the  stone  to 
roil  it  from  the  mouth  of  the  well,  and  could  not,  then 
came  our  father  Jakob  and  lifted  it  with  one  hand,  and 
watered  the  flock  of  Laban  his  mother's  brother.  The 
fifth  sign  :  after  our  father  Jakob  had  lifted  the  stone 
from  the  mouth  of  the  well,  the  well  overflowed,  and 
was  overflowing  twenty  years ;  all  the  days  that  our 
father  Jakob  dwelt  in  Haran.  These  five  signs  were 
wrought  for  our  father  Jakob  in  the  time  when  he 
departed  from  Beersheba  to  go  to  Charan. 

[12.  And  he  dreamed,  and,  behold,  a  ladder  was 
fixed  in  the  earth,  and  the  summit  of  it  reached  to  the 
height  of  heaven.  And,  behold,  the  angels  who  had 
accompanied  him  from  the  house  of  his  father,  ascended 
to  make  known  to  the  angels  on  high,  saying,  Come, 
see  Jakob  the  pious,  whose  likeness  is  in  the  throne  of 
glory,  and  whom  you  have  been  desirous  to  see  !  And, 
behold,  the  holy  angels  from  before  the  Lord  ascended 
and  descended,  and  looked  upon  him.] 

And,  behold,  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  stood  above  him, 
and  He  said  to  him,  I  am  the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham 


254  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

thy  father,  and  the  God  of  Izhak.  The  land  on  which 
thou  art  lying  I  will  give  to  thee  and  to  thy  sons. 
And  thy  sons  shall  be  many  as  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
and  shall  become  strong  on  the  west  and  on  the  east, 
on  the  north  and  on  the  south  :  and  all  the  kindreds  of 
the  earth  shall  through  thy  righteousness  and  the  right¬ 
eousness  of  thy  sons  be  blessed.  And,  behold,  My 
Word  is  for  thy  help,  and  will  keep  thee  in  every  place 
where  thou  shalt  go,  and  will  bring  thee  (again)  to  this 
land ;  for  I  will  not  leave  thee  until  the  time  when  I 
have  performed  all  that  I  have  told  thee. 

And  Jakob  awoke  from  his  sleep,  and  said,  Verily 
the  Glory  of  the  Lord's  Shekinah  dwelleth  in  this  place, 
and  I  knew  it  not.  And  he  was  afraid,  and  said,  How 
dreadful  and  glorious  is  this  place !  This  place  is  not 
common,  but  the  sanctuary3  of  the  Name  of  the  Lord, 
the  proper  spot  for  prayer,  set  forth  before  the  gate  of 
heaven,  and  founded  beneath  the  throne  of  glory. 

And  Jakob  arose  in  the  morning,  and  took  the  stone 
which  he  had  placed  for  his  pillow,  and  set  it  standing, 
and  poured  oil  on  the  top  of  it.  And  he  called  the 
name  of  that  place  Beth  El ;  but  Luz  was  the  name  of 
the  city  at  the  first.  And  Jakob  vowed  a  vow,  saying, 
If  the  Word  of  the  Lord  will  be  my  Helper,  and  will 
keep  me  from  shedding  innocent  blood,  and  from 
strange  worship,  and  from  impure  converse,  in  this  way 
that  I  am  going ;  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and 
raiment  to  wear,  and  will  bring  me  back  in  peace  to  my 
father's  house ;  the  Lord  shall  be  my  God  :  and  this 
stone  which  I  have  set  (for)  a  pillar  shall  be  ordained 
for  the  house  of  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord,  and  upon  it 
shall  generations  worship  the  Name  of  the  Lord;  and 
of  all  that  Thou  mayest  give  me,  the  tenth  will  I 
separate  before  Thee. 

2  Beth  Mikdash ,  "  the  holy  house.” 


XXIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  255 

XXIX.  And  Jakob  lifted  up  his  feet  lightly3  to 
proceed,  and  he  came  to  the  land  of  the  children  of  the 
east.  And  he  looked  and  saw,  and  behold  (there  was) 
a  well  in  a  field,  and  behold  there  three  flocks  of 
sheep  lying  near  it ;  because  from  that  well  they 
watered  the  flocks ;  and  a  great  stone  was  laid  upon  the 
mouth  of  the  well.  And  they  gathered  the  flocks  there, 
and  rolled  the  stone  from  the  well's  mouth,  and  watered 
the  sheep,  and  set  the  stone  on  the  mouth  of  the  well 
in  its  place. 

And  Jakob  said  to  them.  My  brethren,  whence  are 
you  ?  And  they  said,  Prom  Haran  are  we.  And  he 
said  to  them,  Know  you  Laban  bar  Nachor?  And 
they  said,  We  know.  And  he  said,  Hath  he  peace  ? 
And  they  said,  Peace ;  and,  behold,  Rahel  his  daughter 
cometh  with  the  sheep.  And  he  said.  Behold,  the  time 
of  the  day  is  great ;  it  is  not  time  to  gather  home  the 
cattle;  water  the  sheep,  and  let  them  go  (again)  to 
pasture.  [Jerusalem.  It  is  not  time  to  gather.] 
And  they  said,  We  cannot,  until  all  the  flocks  are 
gathered  together,  and  we  roll  the  stone  from  the  mouth 
of  the  well  and  water  the  sheep. 

While  they  were  speaking  with  him,  Rahel  came  with 
her  father's  sheep ;  for  she  was  a  shepherdess  at  that 
time,  because  there  had  been  a  plague  from  the  Lord 
among  the  sheep  of  Laban,  and  but  few  of  them  were 
left,  and  he  had  dismissed  his  shepherds,  and  had  put 
the  remaining  (flock)  before  Rahel  his  daughter.  And 
it  was  when  Jakob  saw  Rahel  the  daughter  of  Laban 
his  mother's  brother  that  Jakob  went  nigh,  and  rolled 
the  stone  with  one  of  his  arms  from  the  mouth  of  the 
well ;  and  the  well  uprose,  and  the  waters  ascended  to 
the  top  of  it ;  and  he  watered  the  sheep  of  Laban  his 
mother's  brother ;  and  it  uprose  for  twenty  years. 

3  Or,  “  with  agility.” 


256  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP, 

And  Jakob  kissed  Eahel,  and  lifted  up  bis  voice  and 
wept.  And  Jakob  told  unto  Eahel,  that  he  was  come  to  be 
with  her  father  to  take  one  of  his  daughters.  And 
Eahel  answered  him,  Thou  canst  not  dwell  with  him, 
for  he  is  a  man  of  cunning.  And  Jakob  said  to  her, 
I  am  more  cunning  and  wiser  than  he ;  nor  can  he  do 
me  evil,  because  the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  my  Helper. 
And  when  she  knew  that  he  was  the  son  of  Eivekah, 
she  ran  and  made  it  known  to  her  father.  And  it  was 
when  Laban  heard  the  account  of  the  strength  and 
piety  of  Jakob  the  son  of  his  sister;  how  he  had  taken 
the  birthright  and  the  order  of  blessing  from  the  hand 
of  his  brother,  and  how  the  Lord  had  revealed  Himself 
to  him  at  Bethel ;  how  the  stone  had  been  removed, 
and  how  the  well  had  upflowed  and  risen  to  the  brink ; 
he  ran  to  meet  him  and  embrace  him,  and  kissed  him 
and  led  him  into  his  house ;  and  he  related  to  Laban 
all  these  things.  And  Laban  said  to  him,  Truly  thou 
art  my  near  one  and  my  blood ;  and  he  dwelt  with  him 
a  month  of  days. 

And  Laban  said  to  Jakob,  Though  thou  art  reputed 
my  brother,  shouldst  thou  serve  me  for  nothing  ?  Tell 
me,  what  shall  be  thy  wages?  And  Laban  had  two 
daughters,  the  name  of  the  elder  Leah,  and  the  name  of 
the  younger  Eahel.  And  the  eyes  of  Leah  were  moist, 
(or  dropping,  running,4)  from  weeping  and  praying 
before  the  Lord  that  he  would  not  destine  her  for  Esau 
the  wicked ;  and  Eahel  was  beautiful  in  appearance, 
and  of  a  fair  countenance.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  eyes 
of  Leah  were  tender,  for  she  had  wept  and  prayed  that 
she  might  not  be  brought  up  in  the  lot  of  Esau;5  and 
Eahel  was  beautiful  in  appearance,  and  of  fair  coun¬ 
tenance.]  And  Jakob  loved  Eahel ;  and  he  said,  I  will 

4  Tsiran,  “  triefdugig .” — Dessauer. 

5  Lit.,  “in  the  planet  of  Esau,”  t.  e.,  “be  destined  to  be  his  wife.” 


XXIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  257 

serve  thee  seven  years  for  Rahel  thy  younger  daughter. 
And  Laban  said,  with  deceit.  It  is  better  that  I  give 
her  to  thee,  than  to  another  man;  abide  with  me. 
And  Jakob  served  for  Rahel  seven  years;  and  they 
seemed  in  his  eyes  as  a  few  days,  because  he  loved  her. 

And  Jakob  said  to  Laban,  Give  me  my  wife :  for  the 
days  of  my  service  are  completed,  and  I  will  go  in  with 
her.  And  Laban  gathered  all  the  men  of  the  place, 
and  made  them  a  feast.  Answering  he  said  to  them, 
Behold,  seven  years  since  Jakob  came  to  us  the  wells 
have  not  failed  and  the  watered  places  are  multiplied  : 
and  now  come,  let  us  counsel  against  him  cunning 
counsel,  that  he  may  remain  with  us.  And  they  gave 
him  cunning  counsel  that  he  should  take  Leah  to  him 
instead  of  Rahel. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Laban  gathered  all  the  people  of 
the  place,  and  made  a  feast.  And  Laban  answered  and 
said  to  them,  Behold  seven  years  are  from  the  coming 
of  this  just  man  to  us ;  our  waterings  have  not  failed, 
and  our  springs  are  many :  and  now  come,  give  me 
counsel  how  we  may  settle  (or  subject)  him  among  us 
yet  seven  years.  And  they  gave  him  cunning  counsel 
to  take  Leah  to  him  instead  of  Rahel.] 

And  it  was  in  the  evening  that  he  brought  Leah  his 
daughter,  and  introduced  her  to  him,  and  he  went  in 
with  her.  And  Laban  gave  to  him  Zilpha  his  daughter, 
whom  his  concubine  had  borne  to  him,  and  he  delivered 
her  to  Leah  his  daughter  to  be  her  handmaid.  And  it 
was  the  time  of  the  morning,  and  he  saw  her,  and, 
behold,  she  was  Leah,  whom  all  the  night  he  had 
thought  to  be  Rahel ;  because  Rahel  had  delivered  to 
her  all  the  things  with  which  Jakob  had  presented  her. 
But  when  he  saw  this,  he  said  to  Laban,  What  is  this 
that  thou  hast  done  to  me  ?  Was  it  not  for  Rahel  that 
I  served  with  thee  ?  Why  hast  thou  deceived  me  ? 


258  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Laban  said,  It  is  not  so  done  in  our  place,  to  give 
the  younger  before  the  elder.  Fulfil  now  the  seven 
days  of  the  feast  of  this,  and  I  will  give  thee  also  that 
for  the  service  which  thou  shalt  serve  with  me  yet  seven 
other  years.  [Jerusalem.  Fulfil  the  seven  days  of  this 
feast  of  Leah,  and  I  will  give.]  And  Jakob  did  so,  and 
fulfilled  the  seven  days  of  the  feast  of  Leah,  and  he  gave 
him  Eahel  his  daughter  to  wife.  And  Laban  gave  to 
Eahel  his  daughter  Bilhah,  whom  his  concubine  bare 
him,  and  he  delivered  her  unto  ber  to  be  her  handmaid. 
And  he  went  in  also  unto  Eahel ;  and  he  loved  Eahel 
also  more  than  Leah.  And  he  served  with  him  for  her 
yet  seven  other  years.  And  it  was  revealed  before  the 
Lord  that  Leah  was  not  loved  in  the  sight  of  Jakob; 
and  He  said  in  His  Word  that  sons  should  be  given  her, 
and  that  Eahel  should  be  barren.  And  Leah  conceived 
and  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Eeuben  :  for  she 
said,  My  affliction  was  manifest  before  the  Lord,  there¬ 
fore  now  will  my  husband  love  me ;  for  my  affliction 
hath  been  manifested  before  the  Lord  as  will  be  the 
affliction  of  my  children  before  the  Lord  when  they  shall 
be  enslaved  in  the  land  of  the  Mizraee.  And  she  con¬ 
ceived  again,  and  bare  a  son.  And  she  said,  Because  it 
was  heard  before  the  Lord  that  I  was  hated,  and  He 
gave  me  this  also :  and  so  will  be  heard  before  Him  the 
voice  of  my  children  when  they  shall  be  enslaved  in 
Mizraim.  And  she  called  his  name  Shimeon.  And 
she  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son,  and  said,  This  time 
will  my  husband  be  united  to  me,  because  I  have  borne 
him  three  sons ;  and  thus  will  it  be  that  my  children 
shall  be  united  to  serve  before  the  Lord  :  therefore  she 
called  his  name  Levi.  And  she  conceived  again,  and 
bare  a  son,  and  said,  This  time  will  I  give  praise  before 
the  Lord ;  for  from  this  my  son  kings  shall  come  forth, 
and  from  him  shall  spring  David  the  king,  who  shall 


XXX.]  OH  GENESIS.  259 

offer  praise  before  the  Lord ;  therefore  she  called  his 
name  Jehudah.  And  she  ceased  to  bear. 

XXX.  And  Rahel  saw  that  she  bare  not  to  Jakob, 
and  Rahel  was  envious  of  her  sister,  and  said  to  Jakob. 
Pray  before  the  Lord  that  He  give  me  children  ;  and  if 
not,  my  life  I  shall  reckon  as  the  dead.  And  the  anger 
of  Jakob  was  strong  against  Rahel,  and  he  said,  Why 
do  you  ask  of  me  ?  Ask  before  the  Lord,  from  before 
whom  are  children,  and  who  hath  restrained  from  thee 
the  fruit  of  the  womb.  And  she  said.  Behold  my  hand¬ 
maid  Bilhah,  enter  with  her,  that  she  may  bear,  and  I 
may  increase  and  may  be  builded  up  from  her.  And 
she  made  her  handmaid  Bilhah  free,  and  delivered  her 
to  him,  and  Jakob  entered  with  her.  And  Bilhah  con¬ 
ceived,  and  bare  a  son  to  Jakob.  And  Rahel  said.  The 
Lord  hath  judged  me  in  His  good  mercies ;  He  hath 
also  heard  the  voice  of  my  prayer,  and  given  me  a 
son;  and  so  it  is  to  be  that  He  shall  judge  by  the 
hand  of  Shimshon  bar  Manovach,  who  shall  be  of  his 
seed ;  and  hath  he  not  delivered  into  his  hand  the 
people  of  the  Philistaee  ?  Therefore  she  called  his  name 
Dan.  And  Bilhah  the  handmaid  of  Leah  conceived 
again,  and  bare  a  second  son  to  Jakob.  And  Rahel 
said.  With  affliction  afflicted  was  I  before  the  Lord  in 
prayer ;  therefore  He  hath  received  my  request  that  I 
might  have  a  son  as  my  sister,  and  hath  given  me  two. 
Even  so  are  my  children  to  be  redeemed  from  the  hand 
of  their  enemies  when  they  shall  afflict  themselves 
in  prayer  before  the  Lord ;  and  she  called  his  name 
Naphtali. 

And  Leah  saw  that  she  had  ceased  from  bearing,  and 
she  made  Zilpha  her  handmaid  free,  and  gave  her  unto 
Jakob  to  wife.  And  Zilpha  the  handmaid  of  Leah 
conceived,  and  bare  Jakob  a  son ;  and  Leah  said,  Good 
fortune  cometh ;  his  children  shall  surely  inherit  their 


260  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

habitation  on  the  east  side  of  Jardena :  and  she  called 
his  name  Gad.  [Jerusalem.  And  Leah  said,  Good 
success  cometh  ;  for  the  feastings  of  the  Gentiles  are  to 
be  cut  off :  and  she  called.]  And  Zilpha  the  handmaid 
of  Leah  bare  a  second  son  to  Jakob.  And  Leah  said, 
Praise  shall  be  mine :  for  the  daughters  of  Israel  will 
praise  me,  as  his  children  will  be  praised  before  the 
Lord  for  the  goodness  of  the  fruit  of  his  land ;  and  she 
called  his  name  Asher. 

And  Reuben  went  in  the  days  of  Sivan,  in  the  time 
of  wheat  harvest,  and  found  (yavruchin)  mandrakes  in  the 
field ;  and  he  brought  them  to  Leah  his  mother.  And 
Rahel  said  to  Leah,  Give  me  now  of  thy  son’s  m^Wrakes. 
And  she  said  to  her,  Is  it  a  little  thing  that  thou  hast 
taken  my  husband,  and  thou  seekest  to  take  also  my 
son’s  mandrakes  ?  And  Rahel  said,  Therefore  shall  he 
lie  with  thee  this  night  for  thy  sou’s  mandrakes. 
[Jerusalem.  For  a  week  he  shall  consort  with  thee.] 
And  Jakob  came  from  the  field  at  evening.  And  Leah 
heard  the  voice  of  the  braying  of  the  ass,  and  knew  that 
Jakob  had  come,  and  Leah  went  forth  to  meet  him,  and 
said,  Thou  wilt  enter  with  me,  because  hiring  I  have 
hired  thee  with  my  son’s  mandrakes  from  Rah  el  my 
sister.  And  he  lay  with  her  that  night.  And  the 
Lord  heard  the  prayer  of  Leah,  and  she  conceived,  and 
bare  to  Jakob  a  fifth  son.  And  Leah  said,  The  Lord 
hath  given  me  my  reward,  for  that  I*  gave  my  handmaid 
to  my  husband  ;  even  so  shall  his  children  receive  a 
good  reward,  because  they  will  occupy  themselves  with 
the  law.  And  she  called  his  name  Issakar. 

And  Leah  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  sixth  son  to 
Jakob ;  and  said,  The  Lord  hath  endowed  me  with  a 
good  dowry  by  children.  This  time  will  the  habitation 
of  my  husband  be  with  me,  because  I  have  borne  him  six 
sons  :  and  thus  shall  his  children  receive  a  good  portion. 


ON  GENESIS. 


261 


XXX.] 

And  she  called  his  name  Zebnlnn.  And  afterward  she 
bare  a  daughter,  and  called  her  name  Dinah ;  for  she 
said,  Judgment  is  from  before  the  Lord,  that  there  shall 
be  from  me  a  half  of  the  tribes ;  but  from  Rah  el  my 
sister  shall  go  forth  two  tribes,  even  as  they  shall  proceed 
(in  like  manner)  from  each  of  the  handmaids.  And  the 
prayer  of  Leah  was  heard  before  the  Lord ;  and  the 
infants  were  changed  in  their  wombs ;  and  Joseph  was 
given  to  the  womb  of  Rahel,  and  Dinah  to  the  womb  of 
Leah.  And  the  remembrance  of  Rahel  came  before  the 
Lord,  and  the  voice  of  her  prayer  was  heard  before 
Him ;  and  He  said  in  his  Word  that  He  would  give  her 
sons. 

[Jerusalem.  Lour  keys  are  held  in  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  of  all  the  world,  even  the  Lord,  and  He  will 
not  deliver  them  either  to  angel  or  to  saraph ;  the  key  of 
the  rain,  the  key  of  the  provender,  the  key  of  the  sepul¬ 
chre,  the  key  of  barrenness.  The  key  of  rain  :  for  thus 
:he  Scripture  expoundeth,  The  Lord  shall  open  unto  thee 
His  good  treasure,  &c.  The  key  of  provender:  for 
bus  the  Scripture  expoundeth,  Thou  openest  thine 
land,  &c.  The  key  of  the  sepulchre  :  for  thus  the 
Scripture  expoundeth,  When  I  shall  open  your 
iepulchre,  &c.  The  key  of  barrenness  :  for  thus  the 
Scripture  expoundeth.  And  Elohim  remembered 
iahel,  &c.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  remembered 
lahel  in  His  good  compassions,  and  the  Word  of  the 
jord  heard  the  voice  of  her  prayer,  and  He  said  in  His 
W>rd  that  He  would  give  her  children.] 

And  she  conceived  and  bare  a  son,  and  said,  The  Lord 
lath  gathered  off  my  reproach,  even  as  J ehoshua  the  son 
f  Joseph  will  gather  off  the  reproach  of  Mizraim  from 
he  sons  of  Israel,  and  will  circumcise  them  beyond 
ardena.  And  she  called  his  name  Joseph,  saying, 
die  Lord  will  add  me  yet  another  son  to  this  one. 


262  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  it  was  when  Rahel  had  borne  Joseph,  Jakob  ! 
said  by  the  Holy  Spirit  concerning  the  house  of  Joseph, ! 
They  are  to  be  as  a  flame  to  consume  the  house  of  Esau;  | 
and  he  said,  Therefore  will  I  not  be  afraid  of  Esau  and 
his  legions.  And  he  said  unto  Laban,  Send  me  away, 
and  I  will  go  to  my  place  and  to  my  country.  Give  me 
my  wives  and  my  children,  for  whom  I  have  served  thee, 
and  I  will  go ;  for  thou  knowest  my  service  with  which 
I  have  served  thee.  But  Laban  said  to  him,  If  now  I  have 
found  grace  in  thy  eyes,  [Jerusalem.  I  have  observed,] 
I  have  observed  by  divination  that  the  Lord  hath  blessed 
me  for  thy  sake.  And  he  said,  Appoint6  thy  wages  with 
me,  and  I  will  give  thee. 

And  he  said  to  him,  Thou  knowest  how  I  have  served 
thee,  and  how  thy  cattle  have  been  kept  by  me  :  for  the  | 
little  flock  which  thou  hadst  before  me  hath  increased 
greatly,  and  the  Lord  hath  blessed  thee  at  my  foot,  that 
I  have  been  profitable  to  thee  from  (the  time  of)  my  j 
coming  into  thy  house.  And  now  when  shall  I  do  the  * 
work  for  which  I  am  bound,  to  nourish  the  men  of  my , 
house  ?  And  he  said,  What  shall  I  give  thee  ?  And 
Jakob  said,  Thou  shalt  not  give  me  anything  else,  (but) 
do  me  this  thing,  and  I  will  return  and  pasture  thy 
flock,  and  keep  them.  I  will  pass  through  thy  whole 
flock  to-day,  and  will  set  apart  every  lamb  streaked  and 
spotted,  and  every  black  lamb  among  the  lambs,  and: 
spotted  and  streaked  among  the  goats,  and  they  shall  j 
be  my  wages.  [Jerusalem.  Every  lamb  spotted  andj 
streaked,  and  every  black  lamb  among  the  lambs,  and 
the  spotted  and  streaked  among  the  goats.]  And  my 
righteousness  shall  testify  for  me  to-morrow,7  when  ray 
wages  shall  be  brought  before  thee.  Every  one  which  is 
not  streaked  or  spotted  among  the  goats,  or  black  among 
the  lambs,  shall  be  as  if  it  had  been  a  theft  of  mine. 

6  Or,  “  negotiate.”  -  7  “  The  day  after.” 


XXXI.]  ON  GENESIS.  263 

And  Laban  said  to  him,  Well,  let  it  be  according  to 
thy  word.  And  he  separated  that  day  the  goats  which 
were  marked  in  their  feet,  and  the  spotted,  and  all  the 
goats  streaked  or  spotted,  every  one  wdiich  had  a  white 
place  in  him,  and  every  black  one  among  the  lambs, 
and  gave  them  into  the  hand  of  his  sons.  And  he  set 
a  journey  of  three  days  between  his  flocks  and  (those  of) 
Jakob.  And  Jakob  tended  the  flock  of  Laban,  the  old 
and  the  feeble  which  were  left. 

And  Jakob  took  to  him  a  rod  of  flowering  poplar, 
and  of  almond,  and  of  the  plane  tree,  and  peeled  in 
them  white  peelings  to  disclose  the  white  which  was  in 
the  rods.  And  the  rods  which  he  had  peeled,  he  fixed 
in  the  canals,  in  the  troughs  of  water ;  at  the  place  to 
which  they  brought  the  flocks  to  water,  there  placed  he 
them  over  against  the  flock,  that  they  might  conceive 
when  they  came  to  drink.  [Jerusalem.  In  the  canals.] 
And  the  sheep  conceived  over  against  the  rods,  and  the 
sheep  produced  such  as  were  marked  in  their  feet,  and 
spotted  and  white  in  their  backs.  And  the  lambs  did 
J akob  set  apart,  and  place  in  front  of  the  flocks ;  all 
the  various-coloured  and  the  black  among  Laban's  sheep 
he  set  for  himself  a  flock  apart,  and  did  not  mix  them 
with  the  sheep  of  Laban.  And  it  wras  that  whenever 
the  early  (prime)  sheep  conceived,  Jakob  set  the  rods 
in  the  canals  before  the  eyes  of  the  sheep,  that  they 
might  conceive  before  the  rods.  But  with  the  late 
sheep  he  did  not  set  them ;  and  the  late  sheep  were 
Laban's  and  the  early  ones  Jakob's.  And  the  man 
increased  greatly,  and  had  a  multitude  of  flocks,  and 
handmaids,  and  servants,  and  camels,  and  asses. 

XXXI.  But  he  heard  the  words  of  the  sons  of 
Laban,  saying,  Jakob  hath  taken  all  that  was  our 
father's ;  and  from  that  which  was  our  father's  he  hath 
made  himself  all  the  glory  of  these  riches.  And  Jakob 


264  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

observed  the  looks  of  Laban,  and,  behold,  they  were  not 
peaceful  toward  him  as  yesterday  and  as  before  it. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  Jakob,  Return  to  the  land  of  thy 
fathers,  and  to  thy  native  place;  and  My  Word  shall  be 
for  thy  help. 

And  Jakob  sent  Naphtali,  who  was  a  swift  mes¬ 
senger,  and  he  called  Rahel  and  Leah,  and  they  came 
into  the  field  unto  his  flock.  And  he  said  to  them,  I 
consider  the  looks  of  your  father,  and,  behold,  they  are 
not  peaceful  with  me  as  yesterday  and  as  before  it ;  but 
the  God  of  my  father  hath  been  to  my  aid.  And  you 
know  that  with  all  my  strength  I  have  served  your 
father,  but  your  father  hath  deceived  me,  and  hath 
changed  [Jerusalem.  Hath  commuted]  my  wages  ten 
portions ;  yet  the  Lord  hath  not  given  him  power  to  do 
me  evil.  If  now  he  said,  The  streaked  shall  be  thy 
wages,  all  the  sheep  bare  streaked ;  and  if  now  he  said, 
The  spotted-footed  shall  be  thy  wages,  all  the  sheep 
bare  those  which  were  spotted  in  their  feet :  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  away  the  flock  of  your  father, 
and  hath  given  (it)  to  me.  [Jerusalem.  And  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  hath  taken  away.]  And  it  was 
at  the  time  when  the  flocks  conceived,  that  I  lifted 
up  my  eyes  and  saw  in  a  dream,  and,  behold,  the 
goats  which  rose  upon  the  flock  were  spotted  in  their  j 
feet,  or  streaked  or  white  in  their  backs.  And 
the  Angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  me,  in  a  dream, 
Jakob.  And  I  said,  Behold  me.  [Jerusalem. 
Jakob  answered  in  the  holy  tongue,  and  said,  Behold 
me.]  And  He  said,  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes  and  see: 
all  the  goats  that  rise  upon  the  flock  are  spotted  in 
their  feet,  or  streaked  or  white  in  their  backs : 
because  all  the  injury  that  Laban  hath  done  thee  i3 
manifest  before  me.  I  am  Eloha  who  did  reveal  Myself 
to  thee  at  Beth  El,  where  thou  didst  anoint  the  pillar, 


ON  GENESIS. 


265 


XXXI.  J 

and  swear  the  oath  before  Me.  Arise  now,  go  forth 
from  this  land,  and  return  to  the  land  of  thy 

birth. 

And  Eahel  answered  with  the  consent  of  Leah,  and 
said  to  him,  Can  there  now  be  yet  any  portion  or  in¬ 
heritance  for  us  in  our  father’s  house ;  are  we  not  con¬ 
sidered  by  him  as  strangers  P  For  he  hath  sold  us,  and 
eating  he  hath  eaten  our  money.  Therefore  all  the 
wealth  that  the  Lord  hath  taken  from  our  father  is  ours 
and  our  children's.  And  now,  all  that  the  Lord  hath 
said  to  thee,  do.  [Jerusalem.  Are  we  not  consi¬ 
dered  strangers  to  him?  for  he  hath  sold  us,  and, 
behold,  he  is  not  willing  to  give  us  our  dowry.8] 

And  Jakob  arose,  and  set  his  children  and  his  wives 
upon  camels.  And  he  led  all  his  herds  and  his  sub¬ 
stance  which  he  had  obtained  in  Padan  Aram  to  go 
unto  Izhak  his  father  in  the  land  of  Kenaan.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  His  treasure.] 

And  Laban  had  gone  to  shear  his  flock ;  and  Rahel 
stole  the  images.9  For  they  had  slain  a  man,  a  first¬ 
born,  and  had  cut  off  his  head ;  they  salted  it  with  salt 
ind  balsams,  and  wrote  incantations  on  a  plate  of  gold, 
md  put  it  under  his  tongue,  and  set  it  up  in  the  wall, 
ind  it  spake  with  them ;  and  unto  such  their  father 
iovied  himself.  And  Jakob  stole  the  knowledge  of 
Laban  the  Aramite,  in  that  he  did  not  show  him  when 
ie  went.  And  he  went,  he  with  all  that.he  had.  And 
ie  arose  and  crossed  the  Pherat,  and  set  his  face  to 
iscend  toward  the  mountain  of  Gilead  ;  because  he  saw 
>y  the  Holy  Spirit  that  from  thence  would  be  deli- 
erance  for  his  sons,  in  the  days  of  Jephtach,  who  was 
f  Gilead. 

But  after  Jakob  had  gone,  the  shepherds  went  to  the 
ell,  but  found  no  water ;  and  they  waited  three  days, 
Ketubathan.  9  Tmlmanaia. 


N 


266  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP.  : 

if  that  it  might  (again)  overflow ;  but  it  overflowed 
not ;  and  then  came  they  to  Laban  on  the  third  day, 
and  he  knew  that  Jakob  had  fled ;  because  through  his 
righteousness  it  had  flowed  twenty  years.  [Jerusalem. 
And  it  was,  when  the  shepherds  were  gathered  together, 
they  sought  to  water  the  flock,  but  were  not  able ;  and 
they  waited  two  and  three  days,  if  that  the  well  might 
overflow ;  but  it  overflowed  not ;  and  then  came  they 
to  Laban  in  the  third  day,  because  Jakob  had  fled.] 

And  he  took  his  kinsmen  with  him,  and  pursued  after 
him,  going  seven  days,  and  overtook  him,  while  sojourn¬ 
ing  in  Mount  Gilead,  offering  praise  and  praying  before 
his  God.  And  there  came  an  angel  with  a  word  from 
before  the  Lord ;  and  he  drew  the  sword  against  Laban 
the  deceitful,  in  a  dream  of  the  night,  and  said  to  him, 
Beware  lest  thou  speak  with  Jakob  from  good  to  evil.  £ 
And  Laban  came  upon  Jakob.  And  Jakob  had 
spread  his  tent  in  the  mountain,  and  Laban  made  his 
brethren  abide  in  the  mount  of  Gilead.  And  Laban 
said  to  Jakob,  What  hast  thou  done?  Thou  hast 
stolen  my  knowledge,  and  led  away  my  daughters  like 
captives  of  the  sword.  Why  didst  thou  hide  from  me 
that  thou  wouldst  go,  and  steal  my  knowledge,  and  not 
tell  me?  For  if  thou  hadst  told  me,  I  would  have  sent 
thee  away  with  mirth,  and  with  hymns,  and  with  tam¬ 
bourines,  and  with  harps.  Neither  hast  thou  suffered 
me  to  kiss  the  .sons  of  my  daughters,  nor  my  daughters. 
Now  hast  thou  been  foolish  in  what  thou  hast  done. 
There  is  sufficiency  in  my  hand  to  do  evil  with  thee; 
[Jerusalem.  There  are  strength  and  ability ;]  but  the 
God  of  thy  father  spake  with  me  in  the  evening,  saying, 
Be  careful  of  speaking  with  Jakob  from  good  to  evil. 
And  now  going  thou  wilt  go;  because  desiring  thou 
hast  desired  the  house  of  thy  father :  (but)  why  hast 
thou  stolen  the  images  of  my  idols  ? 


XXXI.]  OX  GENESIS.  267 

And  Jakob  answered  and  said  to  Laban,  Because  I 
feared,  and  said,  Lest  thou  violently  take  away  thy 
daughters  from  me.  With  whomsoever  thou  shalt  find 
the  images  of  thy  idols,  let  him  die  before  his  time. 
Before  all  our  brethren  take  knowledge  of  what  with  me 
is  thine,  and  take  it.  But  Jakob  knew  not  that  Rahel 
had  stolen  them.  And  Laban  went  into  the  tent  of 
Jakob,  and  into  the  tent  of  Leah,  and  into  the  tent  of 
the  two  concubines,  but  found  not.  And  he  went  out 
from  the  tent  of  Leah,  and  entered  the  tent  of  Rahel. 
But  Rahel  had  taken  the  images,  and  laid  them  in  the 
paniers  of  the  camels,  and  sat  upon  them.  And  he 
searched  all  the  tent,  but  found  not.  And  she  said, 
Let  it  not  be  displeasing  in  my  lord's  eyes  that  I  am 
not  able  to  arise  before  thee,  because  I  have  the  way  of 
women.  And  he  searched,  but  found  not  the  images. 

And  the  anger  of  Jakob  took  fire,  and  he  contended 
with  Laban.  And  Jakob  answered  and  said  to  Laban, 
What  is  my  sin,  and  what  my  transgression,  that  thou 
bast  so  eagerly  come  after  me  ?  Having,  therefore, 
searched  all  my  vessels,  what  hast  thou  found  of  all  the 
vessels*  of  thy  house  ?  Lay  now  the  matter  before  my 
Drethren  and  thy  brethren,  and  let  them  decide  the 
irutli  between  us  two.  These  twenty  years  have  I  been 
vith  thee :  thy  ewes  and  thy  goats  have  not  failed,  and 
he  price  of  the  rams  of  the  flock  I  have  not  eaten, 
[hat  torn  by  wild  beasts  I  have  not  brought  to  thee; 
or  had  I  sinned,  from  my  hand  thou  wouldst  have 
equired  it.  What  was  stolen  in  the  day  by  men,  that 
iave  I  made  good ;  and  what  was  stolen  in  the  night 
y  wild  beasts  was  made  good  also.  [Jerusalem. 
he  dead  I  have  not  brought  to  thee;  every  one  which 
ad  fled  from  the  number,  I  have  made  that  good ;  of 
iy  hands  thou  hast  required  it :  and  what  thieves  stole 
y  day  or  wild  beasts  devoured  by  night  I  have  made 

N  2 


268  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

good.]  I  have  been  in  the  field ;  by  day  the  heat  hath 
devoured  me,  and  the  cold  by  night,  and  sleep  hath 
been  parted  from  me.  These  twenty  years  have  I  been 
in  thy  house,  serving  thee;  fourteen  years  for  thy  two 
daughters,  and  six  years  for  thy  sheep ;  and  thou  hast 
changed  my  wages  ten  parts.  Unless  the  God  of  my 
father,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  He  whom  Izhak  I 
feareth  had  been  in  my  help,  even  now  hadst  thou  sent 
me  away  empty  :  but  my  affliction  and  the  travail  of  my 
hands  are  manifest  before  the  Lord,  and  therefore  He 
admonished  thee  in  the  evening. 

And  Laban  answered  and  said  to  Jakob,  The  children 
whom  thou  hast  received  of  thy  wTives  are  my  children, 
and  the  children  whom  they  may  bear  will  be  reputed  as 
mine,  and  the  sheep  are  my  sheep,  and  all  that  thou 
seest  is  mine.  And  for  my  daughters  w'hat  can  I  do 
this  day,  and  for  the  sons  which  they  have  borne? 
And  now  come,  let  us  strike  a  covenant,  I  and  thou, 
and  it  shall  be  for  a  witness  between  me  and  thee. 

And  Jakob  took  a  stone  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar.' 
And  Jakob  said  to  his  sons,  whom  he  called  his 
brethren,  Collect  stones.  And  they  collected  stones,  and 
made  a  mound,  and  they  ate  upon  the  mound.  And 
Laban  called  it  Ogar  Sahid,1  but  Jakob  called  it  in  the 
holy  tongue,  Gal-ed.  And  The  Observatory 3  also  it 
was  called,  because  he  said,  The  Lord  shall  observe* 
between  me  and  thee  when  we  are  hidden  each  man 
from  his  neighbour.  If  thou  shalt  afflict  my  daughters, 
doing  them  injury,  and  if  thou  take  upon  my  daughters, 
there  is  no  man  to  judge  us,  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
seeing  is  the  witness  between  me  and  thee.  And 
Laban  said  to  Jakob,  Behold  this  mound,  and  behold 
the  pillar  which  thou  hast  reared  between  me  and  thee. 
This  mound  is  a  witness,  and  this  pillar  is  a  witness,  that 

l  “  The  Mound  of  the  Testimony.”  1  Sekutha.  3  Ttsteki  Yeya. 


ON  GENESIS. 


269 


xrxn.] 

I  may  not  pass  beyond  this  mound  to  thee,  and  that 
thou  mayest  not  pass  beyond  this  mound  and  this  pillar 
to  do  harm.  The  God  of  Abraham  and  the  God  of 
Nachor  shall  judge  between  us,  the  God  of  their  fathers. 
But  Jakob  sware  by  the  God  whom  his  father  Izhak 
feared.  And  Jakob  slew  sacrifices  in  the  mount,  and 
invited  his  kinsmen  who  came  with  Laban  to  help  them¬ 
selves  to  bread,  (or  strengthen  themselves  with  bread,) 
and  they  helped  themselves  to  bread,  and  lodged  in 
the  mount.  And  Laban  arose  in  the  morning,  and 
kissed  the  sons  of  Jakob,  and  his  daughters,  and  blessed 
them ;  and  Laban  went  and  returned  to  his  place. 

XXXII.  And  Jakob  went  on  his  way,  and  the  angels 
of  the  Lord  met  him.  And  Jakob  said  when  he  saw 
them,  These  are  not  the  host  of  Esau  who  are  coming 
to  meet  me,  nor  the  host  of  Laban,  wdio  have  returned 
from  pursuing  me ;  but  they  are  the  host  of  the  holy 
angels  who  are  sent  from  before  the  Lord.  Therefore 
the  name  of  that  place  he  called,  in  the  language  of  the 
sanctuary,  Machanaim.  [Jerusalem.  And  Jakob, 
when  he  beheld  them,  said,  Perhaps  they  are  a  host 
from  Laban,  the  brother  of  my  mother,  coming  to  set 
against  me  the  array  of  battle  to  slay  me ;  or  (rather) 
they  are  a  host  of  the  holy  angels  from  before  the 
Lord,  who  are  come  to  save  me  from  their  hands.  And 
he  called  the  name  of  that  place  Machanaim.] 


270 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


SECTION  VIII. 

YAYISHLACH. 

And  Jakob  sent  messengers  before  biin  to  Esau  bis 
brother  in  the  land  of  Gabla,  the  territory  of  the 
Edomites,  and  instructed  them  to  say,  Thus  shall  you 
speak  to  my  lord  Esau :  Thus  saith  thy  servant  Jakob, 
With  Laban  have  I  dwelt,  and  have  tarried  until  now. 
And  of  all  that  in  which  my  father  blessed  me  there  is 
nothing  in  my  hand ;  but  I  have  a  few  oxen  and  asses, 
sheep,  and  servants  and  handmaids ;  and  I  have  sent  to 
tell  my  lord  that  that  blessing  hath  not  profited  me ; 
that  I  may  find  mercy  in  thine  eyes,  and  that  thou 
mayest  not  maintain  (enmity)  against  me  on  account 
thereof. 

And  the  messengers  returned  to  Jakob,  saying,  We 
came  to  thy  brother,  to  Esau,  and  he  also  cometh  to 
meet  thee,  and  four  hundred  chief-warriors 4  with  him. 
[Jerusalem.  And  four  hundred  men,  warlike  leaders 
with  him.]  And  Jakob  was  greatly  afraid,  because  for 
twenty  years  he  had  not  been  mindful  of  the  glory  of 
his  father :  and  he  had  anxiety ;  and  he  divided  the 
people  who  were  with  him,  the  sheep,  and  oxen,  and 
camels,  into  three  troops,  for  a  portion  to  Leah,  and  a 
portion  to  Rahel.  And  he  said.  If  Esau  come  to  the 
one  troop  of  them  and  smite  it,  the  remaining  troop  may 
escape.  And  Jakob  said,  God  of  my  father  Abraham, 
Thou,  the  God  of  my  father  Izhak,  the  Lord,  who  saidst 
to  me,  Return  to  thy  country  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I 
will  do  thee  good  :  I  am  altogether  less  than  any  of 
the  (acts  of)  goodness  and  truth  which  Thou  hast 
exercised  towards  Thy  servant :  for  with  my  staff,  alone, 
I  passed  this  Jardena,  and  now  I  am  become  two  bauds. 

4  Tollmen' keen,  TroXe/iapxoi. 


XXXII.]  OX  GENESIS.  271 

Deliver  me,  I  pray,  from  the  hand  of  my  elder  brother, 
from  the  hand  of  Esau,  for  I  fear  him :  for  he  hath 
been  mindful  of  the  glory  of  his  father ;  lest  he  come 
and  smite  the  mother  with  the  children.  But  Thou 
hast  promised  me,  I  will  surely  do  thee  good,  and  will 
make  thy  sons  many  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  that  cannot 
be  numbered  for  multitude. 

And  he  abode  there  that  night ;  and  he  took  what 
was  ready  at  his  hand  a  present  for  Esau  his  brother : 
she-goats  two  hundred,  and  he-goats  twenty ;  ewes 
two  hundred,  and  rams  twenty :  milch  camels  with 
their  young  ones  thirty;  cows  forty,  and  bulls  ten,  and 
small  colts  ten.  [Jerusalem.  And  small  colts  ten.] 
And  he  made  them  ready  by  the  hand  of  his  servants  in 
flocks  apart,  and  said  to  his  servants,  Pass  over  before 
me,  and  put  much  (room)  between  flock  and  flock. 
And  he  instructed  the  first,  saying,  When  Esau  my 
brother  shall  meet  thee,  and  ask  of  thee,  saying,  Whose 
art  thou,  and  whither  art  thou  journeying,  and  whose 
are  these  before  thee  ?  Thou  shalt  say,  It  is  a  gift  of 
thy  servant  Jakob,  which  he  sends  to  my  lord  Esau, 
and,  behold,  he  also  cometh  after  us.  And  so  he 
instructed  the  second,  and  the  third,  and  all  them  who 
followed  the  flocks,  saying.  According  to  these  words 
you  must  speak  with  Esau  when  you  find  him,  and  say, 
And,  behold,  thy  servant  Jakob  also  cometh  after  us. 
For  he  said,  I  will  make  his  countenance  friendly  by 
the  gift  which  goeth  before  me,  and  afterward  will  see 
his  face  :  peradventure  he  may  accept  me.  And  the 
present  passed  over  before  him,  and  he  abode  that 
night  in  the  camp.  And  he  arose  in  the  night,  and 
took  his  two  wives,  and  his  two  concubines,  and  his 
eleven  children,  and  went  over  the  ford  Jubeka.  And 
taking  them  he  made  them  pass  over  the  torrent,  and 
all  that  he  had  went  over. 


272  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Jakob  remained  alone  beyond  the  Jubeka;  and 
an  Ansrel  contended  with  him  in  the  likeness  of  a  man. 
And  he  said.  Hast  thou  not  promised  to  give  the  tenth 
of  all  that  is  thine  ?  And,  behold,  thou  hast  ten  sons 
and  one  daughter  :  nevertheless  thou  hast  not  tithed 
them.  Immediately  he  set  apart  the  four  firstborn  of 
the  four  mothers,  and  there  remained  eight.  And  he 
began  to  number  from  Shimeon,  and  Levi  came  up  for 
the  tenth. 

Michael  answered  and  said,  Lord  of  the  w'orld,  this 
is  Thy  lot.  And  on  account  of  these  things  he 
(Michael)  remained  from  God  at  the  torrent  till  the 
column  of  the  morning  was  ascending.  And  he  saw 
that  he  had  not  power  to  hurt  him,  and  he  touched  the 
hollow  of  his  thigh,  and  the  hollow  of  Jakob’s  thigh 
was  distorted  in  his  contending  with  him. 

And  he  said.  Let  me  go,  for  the  column  of  the 
morning  ascendeth ;  and  the  hour  cometh  when  the 
angels  on  high  offer  praise  to  the  Lord  of  the  world : 
and  I  am  one  of  the  angels  of  praise,  but  from  the  day 
that  the  world  was  created  my  time  to  praise  hath  not 
come  until  now. 

And  he  said,  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  until  thou  bless 
me.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  hollow  of  Jakob’s  thigh 
was  displaced  in  contending  with  him.  And  he  said, 
Send  me  awfay,  for  the  column  of  the  dawn  ariseth,  and, 
behold,  the  hour  cometh  for  the  angels  to  praise.  And 
he  said,  1  will  not  release  thee  until  thou  bless  me.] 

And  he  said,  What  is  thy  name?  He  answered, 
Jakob.  And  he  said,  Thy  name  shall  be  no  more 
called  Jakob,  but  Israel,  because  thou  art  magnified 
with  the  angels  of  the  Lord  and  with  the  mighty,  and 
thou  hast  prevailed  with  them.  And  Jakob  asked  and 
said,  Show  me  now  thy  name.  And  he  said,  Why  dost 
thou  ask  for  my  name?  And  he  blessed  Jakob  there. 


XXXIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  27-3 

And  Jakob  called  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel  ;  for 
he  said,  I  have  seen  the  Angels  of  the  Lord  face  to  face, 
and  my  soul  is  saved.  And  the  sun  rose  upon  him 
before  his  time,  (the  sun)  which  on  his  account  had  set 
before  his  time,  on  his  going  out  from  Beersheba,  as  he 
crossed  over  Peniel.  And  he  began  to  journey,  and 
was  lame  upon  his  thigh.  Therefore  the  sons  of  Israel 
eat  not  the  sinew  which  shrank,  which  is  in  the  hollow 
of  the  thigh  of  cattle  and  of  wild  animals,  until  this 
day ;  because  the  Angel  touched  and  laid  hold  of  the 
hollow  of  the  right  thigh  of  Jakob,  in  the  place  of  the 
sinew  which  shrank. 

j  XXXIII.  And  Jakob  lifted  up  his  eyes  and 
looked,  and,  behold,  Esau  came,  and  with  him  four  hun¬ 
dred  men  of  war.  And  he  divided  the  children  unto 
Leah,  and  to  Rahel,  and  to  the  two  concubines,  and 
placed  the  concubines  and  their  sons  foremost ;  for  he 
said,  If  Esau  come  to  destroy  the  children  and  abuse 
the  women,  he  will  do  it  with  them,  and  meantime  we 
will  arise  and  encounter  him  in  fight ;  and  Leah  and 
her  children  after,  and  Bahel  and  Joseph  after  them. 
And  he  himself  went  over  before  them,  praying  and 
asking  mercy  before  the  Lord  ;  and  he  bowed  upon  the 
earth  seven  times,  until  he  met  with  his  brother. 

And  Esau  ran  to  meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and 
fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed  him,  and  they  wept. 
Esau  wept  on  account  of  the  pain  of  his  teeth  which 
were  shaken;  but  Jakob  wept  because  of  the  pain  of 
his  neck.  [Jerusalem.  And  Esau  ran  to  meet  him, 
and  hugged  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed  him. 
Esau  wept  for  the  crushing  of  his  teeth,  and  Jakob 
wept  for  the  tenderness  of  his  neck.5 

And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  saw  the  wives  and  the 
children,  and  said.  Who  are  these  with  thee?  And  he 
5  See  remarks  in  the  Introduction,  page  13. 

N  5 


274  TAIiGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CIIAP.  f 

said,  They  are  the  sons  which  have  been  given  to  me  ] 
through  mercy  from  before  the  Lord  upon  thy  servant,  j 
And  the  concubines  came  near,  they  and  their  children,  % 
and  bowed  themselves ;  and  Leah  also  approached,  and  j 
her  children,  and  bowed ;  and  afterward  Joseph  came  I 
near  and  stood  before  Rahel,  and  hid  her  by  his  stature,  I 
and  they  bowed.  And  he  said.  What  to  thee  is  all  this  I 
troop  that  I  have  met  ?  And  he  said,  It  is  a  present  I  I 
have  sent  to  find  mercy  in  the  eyes  of  my  lord.  And 
Esau  said,  I  have  much  substance,  my  brother ;  let  what 
thou  hast  be  confirmed  to  thee.  And  Jakob  said.  Say 
not  so,  I  beseech  thee.  If  now  I  have  found  favour  in 
thy  eyes,  accept  mv  present  from  my  hand ;  because  I 
have  seen  the  look  of  thy  face,  and  it  is  to  me  as  the 
vision  of  the  face  of  thy  angel ;  for,  lo,  thou  art  propi¬ 
tious  to  me.  Receive  now  the  present  which  is  brought 
lo  thee,  because  it  hath  been  given  me  through  mercy  . 
from  before  the  Lord,  and  because  I  have  much 
substance.  And  he  urged  upon  him,  and  he  received.  I 
And  he  said,  Let  us  journey  and  proceed,  and  I  will 
go  along  with  thee,  till  thou  come  to  the  house  of  thy 
habitation.  And  he  said  to  him.  My  lord  knowetk  i 
that  the  children  are  tender,  and  the  flocks  and  kine 
giving  milk  are  with  me ;  and  if  I  overdrive  them  one 
day,  all  the  flock  may  die.  Let  me  beseech  my  lord  to 
pass  over  and  journey  before  thy  servant,  and  I  will  lead 
on  quietly  alone,  according  to  the  foot  of  the  work  which 
is  before  me,  and  according  to  the  foot  of  the  instruction 
of  the  children  ;  until  the  time  that  I  come  to  my  lord i 
at  Gabla.  [Jerusalem.  That  the  children  are  tender.] 
And  Esau  said,  Let  me  now  leave  with  thee  some  of 
the  soldiers  who  are  with  me.  But  he  said,  Why  this  ? 
Let  me  find  favour  before  thee,  my  lord.  And  a 
miracle  was  wrought  for  Jakob,  and  that  day  Esau 
returned  on  his  way  to  Gabla. 


ON  GENESIS. 


275 


XXXIV.] 

And  Jakob  journeyed  to  Succoth,  and  sojourned 
there  the  twelve  months  of  the  year ;  and  he  budded  in 
it  a  midrasha,6  and  for  his  flocks  he  made  booths ; 
therefore  he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Succoth. 

Then  came  Jakob  in  peace  with  all  that  he  had  to 
the  city  of  Shekern,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  in  his 
coming  from  Padan  Aram  ;  and  he  dwelt  near  the  city, 
and  bought  the  possession  of  a  field  where  he  spread 
his  tent  from  the  hand  of  the  sons  of  Hamor  father  of 
Sliekem,  for  a  hundred  pearls.7  And  he  raised  there 
an  altar,  and  there  he  gave  the  tithes  which  he  had 
set  apart  of  all  that  he  had  before  God,  the  God  of 
Israel. 

.XXXIV.  And  Dinah  the  daughter  of  Leah,  whom 
she  bare  to  Jakob,  went  forth  to  see  the  manners  of  the 
daughters  of  the  people  of  the  land.  And  Shekern, 
the  son  of  Hamor  the  Hivite,  prince  of  the  land,  saw 
her,  and  took  her  by  force,  and  lay  with  her  and 
afflicted  her.  And  his  soul  delighted  in  Dinah  the 
daughter  of  Jakob;  and  he  loved  the  girl,  and  spake 
kindly  to  the  heart  of  the  girl.  And  Shekern  spake  to 
Ilamor  his  fatiier,  saying,  Take  for  me  this  damsel  to 
wife.  But  Jakob  had  heard  that  he  had  polluted 
Dinah  his  daughter.  And  his  sons  were  with  the 
flocks  in  the  field,  and  Jakob  was  silent  until  they 
came. 

And  Ilamor  the  father  of  Shekern  came  forth  to 
Jakob  to  speak  with  him.  And  the  sons  of  Jakob  had 
come  up  from  the  field  when  they  heard.  And  the  men 
were  indignant,  and  very  violently  moved,  because 
Shekern  had  wrought  dishonour  in  Israel  in  lying  with 
the  daughter  of  Jakob ;  for  so  it  was  not  right  to  have 
been  done. 

And  Hamor  spake  with  them,  saying,  The  soul  of 

6  “  A  school.”  7  Margaleen. 


276  TAEGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Shekem  my  son  delighteth  in  your  daughter :  give  her, 
I  pray,  to  him  to  wife;  and  conjoin  yourselves  by 
marriage  with  us.  Give  your  daughters  to  us,  and  take 
our  daughters  to  you ;  and  dwell  with  us,  and  the  land 
shall  be  before  you,  to  dwell  where  you  please  and  do 
business  in  it  and  possess  it.  And  Shekem  said  to  her 
father  and  to  her  brethren,  Let  me  find  grace  8  in  your 
sight,  and  what  you  shall  tell  me  I  will  give.  Multi¬ 
ply  upon  me  greatly  dowry  and  gift,  and  I  will  give  as 
you  shall  tell  me ;  only  give  me  the  damsel  to  wife. 
[Jerusalem.  Dotation  and  marriage  portion.]  But 
the  sons  of  Jakob  answered  Shekem  and  Ilamor  his 
father  with  subtilty,  and  so  spake,  because  he  had 
polluted  Dinah  their  sister,  and  said  to  them,  We  can¬ 
not  do  this  thing,  to  give  our  sister  to  a  man  who  is 
uncircumcised,  because  that  would  be  a  disgrace  to  us. 
But  in  this  we  will  accede  to  you,  if  you  will  be  as  we 
are  by  circumcising  every  male.  And  we  will  give  our 
daughters  to  you,  and  will  take  your  daughters  to  us, 
and  dwell  with  you,  and  be  one  people.  But  if  you 
will  not  hearken  to  us  to  be  circumcised,  we  will  take 
our  daughter  by  force  and  will  go.  And  their  words 
were  pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  Hamor,  and  in  the  eyes 
of  Shekem  the  son  of  Hamor.  And  the  young  man 
delayed  not  to  do  the  tiling  ;  because  he  wished  for  the 
daughter  of  Jakob ;  and  he  was  more  honourable  than 
all  his  father’s  house. 

And  Hamor  and  Shekem  his  son  came  to  the  gate  of 
their  city,  and  spake  with  the  men  of  the  gate  of  theifr 
city,  saying.  These  men  are  friendly  with  us;  and  they 
may  dwell  in  the  land  and  do  business  in  it ;  and  the 
land,  behold,  it  is  broad  (in)  limits  before  them ;  let  us 
take  their  daughters  to  us  for  wives,  and  give  cur 
daughters  to  them.  But  in  this  only  will  the  men 
8  Or,  “  mercies.” 


XXXIV.]  ON  GENESIS.  277 

accede  to  us,  to  dwell  with  us,  and  to  be  one  people,  by 
every  male  of  us  being  circumcised  as  they  are.  Their 
flocks,  and  their  substance,  and  all  their  cattle,  will  they 
not  be  ours  ?  Only  let  us  consent  to  them,  and  they 
will  dwell  with  us.  And  all  they  who  came  out  of  the 
gate  of  his  city  received  from  Hamor  and  from  Shekem 
his  son ;  and  they  circumcised  every  male,  all  who  came 
out  of  the  gate  of  the  city. 

And  it  was  on  the  third  day,  when  they  were  weak 
from  the  pain  of  their  circumcision,  two  of  the  sons  of 
Jakob,  Shimeon  and  Levi,  the  brothers  of  Dinah,  took 
each  man  his  sword,  and  came  upon  the  city,  which  was 
dwelling  securely,  and  killed  every  male.  And  Hamor  and 
Shekem  his  son  they  killed  with  the  edge  of  the  sword ; 
and  they  took  Dinah  from  the  house  of  Shekem,  and 
went  forth.  And  the  rest  of  the  sons  of  Jakob  came  to 
the  spoil  of  the  slain,  and  they  sacked  the  city  because 
they  had  polluted  their  sister  in  the  midst  of  it.  Their 
flocks,  and  oxen,  and  asses,  and  whatever  was  in  the 
city  or  in  the  field  they  spoiled ;  and  all  their  wealth 
and  all  their  little  ones  they  took  and  spoiled,  and  all 
that  was  in  the  houses. 

And  Jakob  said  to  Shimeon  and  Levi,  You  have 
made  my  name  to  go  forth  as  evil  among  the  inhabit¬ 
ants  of  the  land,  among  the  Kenaanites  and  Pherezites. 
And  I  am  a  people  of  (small)  number,  and  they  will 
gather  together  against  me,  and  destroy  me  and  the  men 
of  my  house.  And  Shimeon  and  Levi  answered,  It 
would  not  have  been  fit  to  be  said  in  the  congregations 
of  Israel  that  the  uncircumcised  polluted  the  virgin, 
and  the  worshippers  of  idols  debased  the  daughter  of 
Jakob  ;  but  it  is  fit  that  it  should  be  said,  The  uncir¬ 
cumcised  were  slain  on  account  of  the  virgin,  and-  the 
worshippers  of  idols  on  account  of  the  daughter  of 
Jakob.  Shekem  bar  Hamor  will  not  (nowr)  deride  us 


278  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

with  his  words ;  for  as  a  whorish  woman  and  an  out¬ 
cast  who  hath  no  avenger  would  he  have  made  our  sis¬ 
ter,  if  we  had  not  done  this  thing. 

[Jerusalem.  The  two  sons  of  Jakob  answered  to¬ 
gether,  and  said  to  Israel  their  father,  It  would  not  be 
fit  to  be  said  in  the  congregations  of  Israel,  in  their 
bouse  of  instruction,  that  the  uncircuincised  polluted 
the  virgin,  and  the  worshippers  of  idols  the  daughter  of 
Jakob ;  but  it  is  fit  that  it  be  said  in  the  congregations 
of  Israel  and  in  their  house  of  instruction,  that  the 
uncircumcised  were  put  to  death  for  the  sake  of  the 
virgin,  and  the  worshippers  of  idols  because  they  had 
defiled  Dinah  the  daughter  of  Jakob.  And  Sliekem  bar 
Hamor  will  not  boast  in  his  heart  and  say,  As  a  woman 
who  bath  no  man  to  avenge  her  injury,  so  hath  Dinah 
the  daughter  of  Jakob  been  made.  And  they  said, 
As  an  impure  woman  and  an  outcast  would  be  have 
accounted  our  sister.] 

XXX Y.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Jakob,  Arise,  go  up 
to  Bethel  and  dwell  there,  and  make  there  an  altar 
unto  Eloho,  who  revealed  Himself  to  thee  in  thy  flight 
from  before  Esau  thy  brother.  And  Jakob  said  to  the 
men  of  his  house,  and  to  all  who  were  with  him.  Put  away 
the  idols  of  the  peoples  which  are  among  you  which 
you  took  from  the  temple  9  of  Shekera,  and  purify  you 
from  the  uncleannesses  of  the  slain  whom  you  have 
come  nigh,  and  change  your  raiment.  And  we  will 
arise  and  go  up  to  Bethel,  and  I  will  make  there  an 
altar  unto  Eloha,  who  heard  my  prayer  in  the  day 
w  hen  I  wras  afflicted,  and  whose  Word  was  my  helper 
in  the  way  that  I  went. 

And  they  delivered  into  Jakob's  hand  all  the  idols  of 
the  people  which  w  ere  in  their  hands  which  they  had 
taken  from  the  temple 9  of  Sliekem,  and  the  jewels  that 
9  Or,  “  the  house  of  idols.” 


XXXV.]  ON  GENESIS.  279 

had  been  in  the  ears  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of 
Sliekem,  in  which  was  portrayed  the  likeness  of  their 
images;  and  Jakob  hid  them  under  the  terebinth  that 
was  near  to  the  city  of  Sliekem. 

And  they  journeyed  from  thence,  offering  praise  and 
prayer  before  the  Lord.  And  there  was  a  tremor  from 
before  the  Lord  upon  the  people  of  the  cities  round 
about  them,  and  they  pursued  not  after  the  sons  of 
Jakob.  And  Jakob  came  to  Luz  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  which  is  Bethel,  he  and  all  the  people  who 
were  with  him.  And  he  builded  there  an  altar,  and 
named  that  place.  To  God,  who  made  His  Shekinah 
to  dwell  in  Bethel,  because  there  had  been  revealed 
to  him  the  angels  of  the  Lord,  in  his  flight  from  before 
Esau  his  brother. 

And  Deborah,  the  nurse  of  Bivekah,  died,  and  was 
buried  below  Bethel,  in  the  field  of  the  plain.  And  there 
it  was  told  Jakob  concerning  the  death  of  Bivekah  his 
mother ;  and  he  called  the  name  of  it.  The  other  weeping.10 

And  the  Lord  revealed  Himself  to  Jakob  again  on 
his  return  from  Padan  of  Aram,  and  the  Lord  blessed 
him  by  the  name  of  His  Word,  after  the  death  of  his 
mother.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him.  Heretofore  was 
thy  name  Jakob  :  thy  name  shall  be  no  more  called 
Jakob,  but  Israel  shall  be  thy  name.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  him,  I  am  El  Shadai :  spread  forth  and  mul¬ 
tiply  ;  a  holy  people,  and  a  congregation  of  prophets 
and  priests,  shall  be  from  thy  sons  whom  thou  hast 
begotten,  and  two  kings  shall  yet  from  thee  go  forth. 
And  the  land  which  I  gave  to  Abraham  and  to  Izliak 
will  I  give  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  sons  after  thee  will  I 
give  the  land. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Deborah  the  nurse  of  Bivekah 
died,  and  was  buried  below  Beth  El  under  an  oak  : 2  and 
10  Aocharan  baJcutiia.  1  Beluta,  query,  “  chestnut.” 


280  TAUGUM  OF  FAX ESTINE  [CXIAP. 

he  called  the  name  of  it,  The  Oak  of  Weeping.2  The 
God  of  eternity,  whose  name  be  Blessed  for  ever  and 
ever,  hath  taught  us  precepts  which  are  beautiful  and 
statutes  that  are  comely :  He  hath  taught  us  the 
blessing  of  matrimony  from  Adam  and  his  bride,  as  the 
scripture  expoundeth.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
blessed  them,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said  to  them, 
Be  strong  and  multiply,  and  fill  the  earth,  and  subdue 
it.  He  hath  taught  us  to  visit  the  afflicted,  from  our 
father  Abraham  the  Righteous,  when  He  revealed  Him¬ 
self  to  him  in  the  plain  of  Vision,  and  gave  him  the 
precept  of  circumcision,  and  made  him  to  sit  in  the 
door  of  his  tent  in  the  heat  of  the  day;  as  the  scripture 
expoundeth  and  saith,  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
revealed  Himself  to  him  in  the  plain  of  Vision.  And 
again  He  hath  taught  us  to  bless  those  who  mourn, 
from  our  father  Jakob  the  Righteous  :  for  He  revealed 
Himself  to  him  on  his  coming,  from  Padan  of  Aram, 
when  the  way  of  the  world  had  happened  to  Deborah, 
the  nurse  of  Rivekah  his  mother,  and  Rah  el  died  by 
him  in  the  way,  and  Jakob  our  father  sat  weeping  and 
bewailing  her,  and  mourning  and  crying.  Then  wast 
Thou,  O  Lord  of  all  worlds,  in  the  perfection  of  Thy 
free  mercies  revealed  to  him,  and  didst  comfort  him,  and 
blessing  the  mourners  didst  bless  him  concerning  his 
mother,  even  as  the  scripture  expoundeth  and  saith,  The 
Word  of  the  Lord  revealed  Himself  unto  Jakob  the  second 
time  on  his  coming  from  Padan  Aram,  and  blessed  him.] 
And  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord  ascended  from  him  in 
the  place  where  He  had  spoken  with  him.  And  Jakob 
erected  there  a  pillar  of  stone  in  the  place  where  He 
had  spoken  with  him,  a  pillar  of  stone;  and  he  out¬ 
poured  upon  it  a  libation  of  wine,  and  a  libation  of 
water,  because  thus  it  was  to  be  done  at  the  feast  of 

2  Belut  bakuiha. 


ON  GENESIS. 


281 


XXXV.j 

Tabernacles;  and  he  poured  oil  of  olives  thereupon. 
And  Jakob  called  the  name  of  the  place  where  the  Lord 
had  spoken  with  him  Beth  El. 

And  they  proceeded  from  Beth  El ;  and  there  was  yet 
much  space  of  provision  land  in  the  coming  to  Ephrath ; 
and  Bahel  travailed,  and  had  hard  labour  in  her  birth. 
And  it  was  in.  the  hardness  of  her  travail  that  the  mid¬ 
wife  said  to  her.  Fear  not,  for  this  also  is  to  thee  a  male 
child.  And  it  was  in  the  going  forth  of  her  soul,  for 
death  came  upon  her,  that  she  called  his  name  The  son 
of  my  woe  :  but  his  father  called  him  Benjamin. 
[Jerusalem.  And  there  was  a  space,  as  much  ground, 
to  come  unto  Ephrath ;  and  Bahel  travailed,  and  had 

hard  labour  in  her  birth . But  his  father  called  him 

in  the  language  of  the  sanctuary,  Benjamin.] 

And  Bahel  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  way  to  Eph¬ 
rath,  which  is  Bethlehem.  And  Jakob  erected  a  pillar 
over  the  house  of  burying,3  which  is  the  pillar  of  the 
tomb  of  Bahel  unto  this  day. 

And  Jakob  proceeded  and  spread  his  tent  beyond  the 
tower  of  Eder,  the  place  from  whence,  it  is  to  be,  the 
King  Meshiha  will  be  revealed  at  the  end  of  the  days. 

And  it  was  while  Israel  dwelt  in  this  land  that 
Beuben  went  and  confounded  4  the  bed  of  Bilhah  the 
concubine  of  his  father,  which  had  been  ordained  along 
with  the  bed  of  Leah  his  mother ;  and  this  is  reputed 
with  regard  to  him,  as  if  he  had  lain  with  her.  And 
Israel  heard  it,  and  it  afflicted  him,  and  he  said,  Alas, 
that  one  should  have  come  forth  from  me  so  profane, 
even  as  Ishmael  came  forth  from  Abraham,  and  Esau 
from  my  father  !  The  Spirit  of  Holiness  answered,  and 
thus  spake  to  him  :  Fear  not,  for  all  are  righteous,  and 
none  of  them  is  profane. (!) 

So,  after  that  Benjamin  was  born,  the  sons  of  Jakob 
3  Beth  keburtha.  4  Bilbal. 


282  #  TAEGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

were  twelve.  The  sons  of  Leah,  the  first-born  of 
Jakob,  Beuben,  and  Shimeon,  and  Levi,  and  Jehudah, 
and  Issakar,  and  Zabulon.  The  sons  of  Rahel,  Joseph 
and  Benjamin.  The  sons  of  Bilhah,  the  handmaid  of 
Bah  el,  Dan  and  Naphtali ;  and  the  sons  of  Zilplia,  the 
handmaid  of  Leah,  Gad  and  Asher.  These  are  the 
sons  of  Jakob  who  were  born  to  him  in  Padan  Aram,  i 

And  Jakob  came  to  Izhak  his  father,  at  Mamre  the 
city  of  Arba,  which  is  Hebron,  for  there  Abraham  and 
Izhak  had  dwelt.  And  the  days  of  Izhak  were  an  hun¬ 
dred  and  eighty  years.  And  Izhak  expired  and  died 
and  was  gathered  to  his  people,  old  and  full  of  days ; 
and  Esau  and  Jakob  his  sons  buried  him. 

XXXVI.  These  are  the  genealogies  of  Esau,  who  is 
called  Edom.  Esau  took  wives  of  the  daughters  of 
Kenaan,  Adah  the  daughter  of  Elon  the  Hittah,  and 
Ahalibama  the  daughter  of  Ana,  the  daughter  of  Sibeon 
the  Hiva,  and  Basemath  the  daughter  of  Ishmael  whom 
Nebaioth  her  brother  gave  to  him.  And  Adah  bare  to 
Esau  Eliphaz,  and  Basemath  bare  Beuel.  And  Ahali¬ 
bama  bare  to  Esau  Jehus,  and  Jaalam,  and  Korach. 
These  are  the  sons  of  Esau  who  were  born  to  him  in  the 
land  of  Kenaan.  And  Esau  had  taken  his  wives  and  his 
sons  and  his  daughters,  and  all  the  souls  of  his  house, 
and  his  flocks  and  his  cattle,  and  all  the  substance 
which  he  had  gotten  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  had 
gone  into  another  land ;  for  there  fell  upon  him  a  fear 
of  Jakob  his  brother:  for  their  possessions  would  be  too 
great  for  them  to  dwell  together,  neither  would  the  laud 
of  their  sojourning  maintain  them,  on  account  of  their 
flocks.  And  Esau  dwelt  in  the  mountain  of  Gabal.  He 
is  Esau  the  prince  of  the  Edomites. 

And  these  are  the  kindreds  of  Esau  the  prince  of  the 
Edomites,  the  place  of  whose  dwelling  was  in  the  moun¬ 
tain  of  Gabal.  These  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of 


XXXVI.]  OX  GENESIS.  283 

Esau,  Eliphaz  bar  Adah,  wife  of  Esau ;  Reuel  bar 
Basemath,  wife  of  Esau.  And  the  sons  of  Eliphaz  were 
Teman  Omar,  Zepliu,  and  Gaatam,  and  Kenaz,  and 
Timna.  And  Timna  was  the  concubine  of  Eliphaz  bar 
Esau,  and  she  bare  to  Eliphaz  Amalek.  He  is  Eliphaz 
the  companion  of  Job. 

These  are  the  sons  of  Adah  wife  of  Esau.  And 
these  are  the  sons  of  Reuel,  Nachath  and  Zerach, 
Shammah  and  Mizzah.  These  are  the  sons  of  Base- 
math  wife  of  Esau.  x\nd  these  are  the  sons  of  Ahali- 
bama  the  daughter  of  Anah  the  daughter  of  Sebeon 
wife  of  Esau  ;  and  she  bare  to  Esau,  Jehus,  and  Jaalam, 
and  Korach. 

These  are  the  chieftains  of  the  sons  of  Esau;  the  sons 
of  Eliphaz,  the  first-born  of  Esau,  Rabba  Teman,  Rabba 
Omar,  Rabba  Zepliu,  Rabba  Kenaz,  Rabba  Korach, 
Rabba  Gaatam,  Rabba  Amalek :  these  are  the  chieftains 
of  Eliphaz,  whose  habitation  w'as  in  the  land  of  Edom ; 
they  are  the  sons  of  Adah. 

And  these  are  the  sons  of  Reuel  bar  Esau ;  Rabba 
Nachath,  Rabba  Zerach,  Rabba  Shammah,  Rabba 
Mizzah ;  these  are  the  chieftains  of  Reuel,  whose  habi¬ 
tation  was  in  the  land  of  Edom.  These  are  the  sons  of 
Basemath  wife  of  Esau. 

And  these  are  the  sons  of  Alialibama  wife  of  Esau; 
Rabba  Jeush,  Rabba  Jaalam,  Rabba  Korach  ;  these  are 
the  chieftains  of  Alialibama,  daughter  of  Adah  wife  of 
Esau.  These  are  the  sons  of  Esau,  and  these  their 
chieftains.  He  is  the  father  of  the  Edomites. 

These  are  the  sons  of  Gebal,  the  generations  who 
before  that  had  dwelt  in  that  land  :  Lotan,  and  Shobal, 
and  Sebeon,  and  Anah,  and  Dislion,  and  Etser,  and 
Dishan.  These  are  the  chieftains  of  the  generations  of 
the  sons  of  Gebal,  whose  habitation  was  of  old  in  the 
land  of  the  Edomites.  And  the  sons  of  Lotan  were  the 


284  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [cHAP.  \ 

Chori  and  Hemnm ;  and  the  sister  of  Lotan  was  Timna.  | 
And  these  are  the  sons  of  Shobal,  Alvan,  and  Mana- jl 
chotli,  and  Ebal,  Sliepho,  and  Onara.  And  these  are 
the  sons  of  Sebeon,  Aja  and  Anah :  he  is  Anab  who  I 
coupled  the  onagers  with  the  she-asses,  and  after  a 
time  found  mules  which  had  come  forth  from  them, 
when  he  was  tending  the  asses  of  Sebeon  his  father.  I 
And  these  are  the  children  of  Anah  :  Dishon  ;  and  ' 
Ahalibama  was  the  daughter  of  Anah.  And  these  are 
the  sons  of  Dishon,  Hemdan,  and  Jisban,  and  Jithran,  3 
and  Reran.  These  are  the  sons  of  Etser,  Bilhan,  and 
Zaavan,  and  Akan.  These  are  the  sons  of  Dishan, 
Hutz  and  Aram.  These  are  the  chieftains  of  the 
families  :  Rabba  Lotan,  Rabba  Shobal,  Rabba  Sebeon, 
Rabba  Anah,  Rabba  Dishon,  Rabba  Etser,  Rabba 
Dishan  :  these  are  the  chieftains  of  the  families,  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  principalities,  whose  habitation  was  of  old 
in  the  land  of  Gabla. 

These  are  the  kings  who  reigned  in  the  land  of  Edom 
before  any  king  reigned  over  the  sons  of  Israel.  In 
Edom  reigned  Bileam  the  son  of  Behor,  and  the  name 
of  the  city  of  the  house  of  his  kingdom  was  Dinhaba. 
And  Bela  died,  and  in  his  stead  reigned  Jobab  the  son 
of  Zerach  of  Botsra.  And  Jobab  died,  and  in  his  stead 
reigned  Husham  of  the  south  country ;  and  Husham 
died,  and  in  his  stead  reigned  Hadad  the  son  of  Bedad, 
who  slew  the  Midianites  when  he  arrayed  war  with  them 
in  the  fields  of  Moab,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  the 
house  of  his  kingdom  was  Avith.  And  Hadad  died, 
and  in  his  stead  reigned  Siinlah  of  Masrekah.  And 
Simlah  died,  and  instead  of  him  reigned  Shaul,  who 
was  of  Rohoboth  on  the  Pherat.  And  Shaul  died,  and 
in  his  stead  reigned  Baal  Hanan  bar  Akbor.  And 
Baal  Hanan  bar  Akbor  died,  and  instead  of  him  reigned 
Hadar ;  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  the  house  of  his 


XXXVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  285 

kingdom  was  Pahu;  and  the  name  of  his  wife  was 
Mehetabel  the  daughter  of  Matred.  He  was  the  man 
who  laboured  with  perseverance  and  vigilance,  and  who, 
after  he  had  become  wealthy  and  had  gotten  riches, 
turned  to  become  more  lofty  in  his  heart,  saying.  What  is 
silver,  and  what  is  gold?  [Jerusalem. ■  And  after  him 
reigned  Hadar ;  and  the  name  of  his  city  was  Pahu,  and 
the  name  of  his  wife  Mehitabel  the  daughter  of  Matred, 
the  daughter  of  the  changer  of  gold :  the  man  who 
laboured  with  perseverance  all  the  days  of  his  life;  but 
who,  after  he  had  eaten  and  was  satisfied,  converted, 
and  said,  What  is  gold,  and  what  is  silver  ?] 

And  these  are  the  names  of  the  chieftains  of  Esau, 
after  their  kindreds,  after  the  place  of  their  habitations, 
with  their  names :  Rabba  Timna,  Rabba  Alva,  Rabba 
Jetheth,  Rabba  Aholibama,  Rabba  Elah,  Rabba  Phinon, 
Rabba  Kenaz,  Rabba  Teman,  Rabba  Mibzar,  Rabba 
Magdiel,— he  was  called  Magdiel  from  the  name  of  his 
city  whose  ( migdol )  tower  was  strong, — Rabba  Hiram. 
These  are  the  chieftains  of  Edom,  according  to  their 
habitations  in  the  land  of  their  possessions.  He  is  Esau 
the  father  of  the  Edomites. 


1 

SECTION  IX. 

VAYESHEV. 

And  Jakob  dwelt  in  peace  in  the  land  of  the  sojourn¬ 
ing  of  his  fathers,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan.  These  are  the 
generations  of  Jakob.  Joseph  was  a  son  of  seventeen 
years.  He  had  come  forth  from  the  school,  and  was  a 
youth  brought  up  with  the  sons  of  Bilhah  and  the  sons 


286  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

of  Zilplia  his  father's  wives.  And  Joseph  brought  their 
evil  report ;  for  he  had  seen  them  eat  the  flesh  that  had  j 
been  torn  by  wild  beasts,  the  ears  and  the  tails;  and 
he  came  and  told  it  to  his  father.  And  Israel  loved 
Joseph  more  than  all  his  sons,  because  the  likeness  of 
Joseph  resembled  his  own,  and  he  made  him  a  figured 
robe.  [Jerusalem.  A  figured  robe.]  And  his  brothers 
saw  that  their  father  loved  him  more  than  all  his 
brethren,  and  they  cherished  enmity  against  him,  and 
were  unwilling  to  speak  peacefully  with  him. 

And  Joseph  dreamed  a  dream,  and  declared  it  to  his 
brethren,  and  they  added  yet  to  keep  enmity  against 
him.  And  he  said  to  them,  Hear  now  this  dream 
which  I  have  dreamed.  Behold,  we  were  binding  sheaves 
in  the  midst  of  the  field,  and,  lo,  my  sheaf  arose,  and 
stood  upright ;  and,  behold,  your  sheaves  surrounded  and 
bowed  to  my  sheaf.  [Jerusalem.  Were  binding 
sheaves.]  And  his  brothers  said  to  him.  Art  thou 
thinking  to  reign  over  us,  or  dost  thou  expect  to  have 
rule  over  us  ?  And  they  added  yet  to  keep  enmity 
against  him,  for  his  dream  and.  for  his  words. 

And  he  dreamed  again  another  dream,  and  told  it  to 
his  brothers,  and  said.  Behold,  I  have  dreamed  yet  a 
dream,  and,  lo,  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  eleven  stars, 
bowed  to  me.  And  he  related  it  to  his  father  and  to  \ 
his  brethren  :  but  his  father  rebuked  him,  and  said  to 
him,  What  dream  is  this  that  thou  hast  dreamed  ?  Shall 
I,  and  thy  mother,  and  thy  brethren,  really  come  and 
bow  before  thee  to  the  ground?  And  his  brothers 
envied  him ;  yet  his  father  kept  the  saying  in  his 
heart. 

And  his  brothers  went  to  feed  their  father's  flock  in 
Shekem.  And  it  was  at  the  time  of  days  that  Israel 
said  to  Joseph,  Do  not  thy  brethren  feed  in  Shekem  ? 
But  I  am  afraid  lest  the  Hivaee  come  and  smite  them, 


XXXVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  287 

because  they  smote  Hamor  and  Shekem  and  tlie  inha¬ 
bitants  of  the  city.  Come  now,  and  I  will  send  thee  to 
them.  And  he  said,  Behold  me.  And  he  said,  Go,  see 
the  welfare  of  your  brethren,  and  the  welfare  of  the 
flock,  and  return  me  word.  But  he  sent  him  according 
to  the  deep  counsel  which  was  spoken  to  Abraham 
in  Hebron;  for  on  that  day  began  the  captivity  of 
Mizraim. 

And  Joseph  arose,  and  came  to  Shekem.  And  Gabriel, 
in  the  likeness  of  a  man,  found  him  wandering  in  the 
field.  And  the  man  asked  him,  saying,  What  seekest 
thou  ?  And  he  said,  I  seek  my  brothers ;  show  me,  I 
pray,  where  they  feed.  And  the  man  said.  They  have 
journeyed  hence :  for  I  heard  beyond  the  Veil,  that, 
behold,  from  to-day  would  begin  the  servitude  to  the 
Mizraee;  and  it  was  said  to  them  in  prophecy,  that  the 
Hivaee  would  seek  to  set  battle  in  array  against  them. 
Therefore,  said  they,  we  will  go  unto  Dothan. 

And  Joseph  went  after  his  brothers,  and  found  them 
in  Dothan.  And  they  saw  him  from  afar,  before  he 
had  come  nigh  to  them,  and  plotted  against  him  to 
kill  him.  And  Shimeon  and  Levi,  who  were  brothers 
in  counsel,  said  each  man  to  his  brother,  Behold,  this 
master  of  dreams  cometh.  And  now,  come,  let  us  kill 
him,  and  throw  him  into  one  of  the  pits,  and  say  that 
an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him ;  and  we  shall  see  what 
will  be  the  interpretation  of  his  dreams. 

And  Reuben  heard,  and  delivered  him  from  their 
hands,  and  said.  We  will  not  kill  him,  nor  become 
guilty  of  his  blood.  And  Reuben  said.  Let  us  not  shed 
innocent  blood.  Throw  him  into  this  pit  in  the  wilder¬ 
ness,  but  the  hand  of  the  slayer  stretch  not  forth  against 
him ;  because  he  would  deliver  him  from  their  hand,  to 
restore  him  to  his  father. 

And  when  Joseph  came  to  his  brothers,  they  stripped 


288  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

him  of  his  garment,  the  figured  garment  that  was  on 
him,  and  took  and  threw  him  into  the  pit.;  but  the  pit 
was  empty,  no  water  was  therein,  but  serpents  and 
scorpions  were  in  it.  And  they  sat  around  to  eat  bread. 
And  they  lifted  up  their  eyes,  and  looked,  and  behold  a 
band  of  Arabians  [Jerusalem.  A  band  of  Saracens] 
were  coming  from  Gilead  with  their  camels,  carrying 
wax,  resin,  balsam  and  stacte,  proceeding  to  go  into 
Mizraim.  And  Jehuda  said  to  his  brethren,  What 
profit  of  mammon  should  we  have  if  we  killed  our 
brother,  and  covered  his  blood  ?  Come,  let  us  sell  him 
to  the  Arabians,  and  our  hands  shall  not  be  upon  him 
to  kill  him ;  for  our  brother  is  our  own  flesh.  And 
his  brethren  agreed.  And  the  Midianite  men,  masters 
of  business,  passed  by;  and  they  drew  and  brought  up 
Joseph  out  of  the  pit,  and  sold  Joseph  to  the  Arabians 
for  twenty  mahin  of  silver ;  and  they  bought  sandals 
of  them.  And  they  brought  Joseph  to  Mizraim. 

And  Reuben  returned  to  the  pit;  for  he  had  not 
been  with  them  to  assist  when  they  sold  him,  because  he 
had  sat  fasting  on  account  that  he  had  confounded  the 
couch  of  his  father ;  and  he  had  gone  and  sat  among 
the  hills,  that  he  might  return  to  the  pit  and  bring  him 
up  for  his  father,  if  haply  he  might  avert  his  anger. 
But  when  he  had  returned,  and  looked,  and,  behold, 
Joseph  was  not  in  the  pit,  he  rent  his  clothes,  and 
returned  to  his  brethren,  and  said,  The  youth  is  not ; 
and  I,  whither  shall  I  go,  and  how  shall  I  see  the  look 
of  my  father's  face  ? 

But  they  took  the  garment  of  Joseph,  and  killed  a 
kid  of  the  goats,  because  his  blood  is  like  the  blood  of 
a  man,  and  they  dabbled  the  garment  in  the  blood. 
And  they  sent  it  by  the  hand  of  the  sons  of  Zilplia  and 
of  the  sons  of  Bilhah,  the  figured  garment ;  and  they 
brought  it  to  their  father,  and  said,  This  have  we 


XXXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  289 

found ;  know  now,  whether  it  be  thy  son's  garment,  or 
not.  And  he  recognised  it  and  said,  It  is  my  son's 
garment :  a  beast  of  the  wilderness  hath  not  devoured 
him,  neither  hath  he  been  slain  by  the  hand  of  man ; 
but  I  see,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  an  evil  woman 
standeth  against  him.  [Jerusalem.  And  he  dis¬ 
cerned  it  and  said,  It  is  my  son's  garment :  yet  a  wild 
beast  hath  not  devoured  him,  neither  is  my  son  Joseph 
slain ;  but  I  see  by  the  Spirit  of  the  sanctuary,  that  an 
evil  woman  standeth  against  him.]  And  Jakob  rent 
his  clothes,  and  wrapped  sackcloth  on  his  loins,  and 
mourned  for  his  son  many  days.  And  all  his  sons  and 
all  the  men  of  his  house  arose  and  went  to  console 
him ;  but  he  refused  to  receive  consolation,  and  said, 
Tor  I  will  go  down  to  my  son  mourning  to  the  house 
of  the  grave.  And  Izhak  his  father  also  wept  for  him. 
But  the  Midianites  sold  him  in  Mizraim  to  Potiphar 
a  captain  of  Pharoh,  a  captain  of  the  guards.5  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  To  Potiphar  an  officer  6  of  Pharoh,  a  captain 
of  the  guards.] 

t  XXXVIII.  It  was  at  that  time  that  Jehuda  had 
gone  down  from  his  property,  and  separated  himself 
from  his  brethren,  and  had  inclined  to  a  man  an  Adul- 
lemite  whose  name  was  Hira,  that  Jehuda  saw  there  the 
daughter  of  a  merchant  man  whose  name  was  Shuva, 
and  he  proselyted  her,  and  entered  with  her.  And  she 
conceived  and  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Er,7 
because  he  was  to  die  without  a  child.  And  she  con¬ 
ceived  again,  and  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name 
Onan,8  because  his  father  would  have  to  mourn  for 
him.  And  she  added,  and  bare  a  son,  and  called  his 
name  Shela,  because  her  husband  had  forgotten  her 1 

•  SapuJclatoria,  “  spiculators,  javelin  men.”  8  Shaliia,  “  ruler.” 

7  Er,  “naked,  destitute.”  8  Onan,  “  sorrow,”  or,  “iniquity.” 

1  The  Chaldee  verb  shelah  is  either  “  cessavit “  destitit ,”  or 

“  rejecit,  vel  oblitus  est .” 


O 


290  TARGTTM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  was  in  cessation  when  she  bare  him.  [Jerusalem. 
And  it  was  that  she  ceased.] 

And  Jeliuda  took  a  wife  for  Er  his  firstborn,  a 
daughter  of  Shem  the  great,  whose  name  was  Tamar. 
But  Er  the  firstborn  of  Jehuda  was  evil  before  the 
Lord  because  he  had  not  given  his  seed  unto  his  wife, 
and  the  anger  of  the  Lord  prevailed  against  him,  and 
the  Lord  slew  him.  And  Jehuda  said  unto  Onan, 
Enter  thou  to  thy  brother's  wife,  and  marry  her,  and  raise 
up  seed  unto  the  name  of  thy  brother.  And  Onan 
knew  that  they  would  not  call  the  children  after  his 
name,  and  it  was,  when  he  entered  to  the  wife  of  his 
brother,  that  he  corrupted  his  work  upon  the  earth, 
that  he  might  not  raise  up  children  to  his  brother's 
name.  And  what  he  did  was  evil  before  the  Lord,  and 
he  cut  off  his  days  also. 

And  Jehuda  said  to  Tamar  his  daughter-in-law, 
Eemain  a  widow  in  thy  father's  house,  till  Shela  my  son 
be  grown  up.  Eor  he  said,  Lest  he  also  die  as  his 
brethren.  And  Tamar  went,  and  remained  in  her 
father's  house. 

And  days  multiplied,  and  the  daughter  of  Shuva, 
Jehuda's  wife,  had  died,  and  Jehuda  was  comforted. 
And  Jehuda  went  up  to  the  shearing  of  his  flock,  he 
and  Hira  his  friend  the  Adullemite,  to  Timnath.  And 
it  was  told  to  Tamar,  saying,  Behold,  thy  father-in-law 
cometh  up  to  Timnath  to  shear  his  flock.  And  she  put 
the  dress  of  her  widowhood  from  her,  and  covered  her¬ 
self  with  a  veil,  and  wrapped  herself,  and  sat  in  the 
dividing  of  the  road  where  all  eyes  see,  upon  the  way 
of  Timnath.  Eor  she  knew  that  Shela  was  grown  up, 
yet  she  had  not  been  given  to  him  to  be  his  wife.  And 
Jehuda  saw  her;  but  she  seemed  in  his  face  as  an  har¬ 
lot,2  because  she  had  provoked  him  to  anger  in  his 

2  Ke-naphkaih  bara ,  “  as  an  outcast.” 


XXXVIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  291 

house,  and  Jehuda  did  not  love  her.  [Jerusalem.  For 
she  had  enwrapped  her  face.]  And  he  inclined  to  her 
in  the  way  and  said.  Let  me  now  go  in  with  thee  :  for 
he  knew  not  that  she  was  his  daughter-in-law.  And 
she  said,  What  wilt  thou  give  me  to  go  in  with  me  ? 
And  he  said,  I  will  send  thee  a  kid  of  the  goats  from 
the  flock.  And  she  said,  If  thou  wilt  give  me  a  pledge 
until  thou  shalt  have  sent.  And  he  said,  What  pledge 
shall  I  give  thee  ?  And  she  answered,  Thy  seal,  and 
thy  mantle,  and  thy  staff  which  is  in  thy  hand.  And  he 
gave  (them)  to  her,  and  went  in  with  her;  and  she  con¬ 
ceived  by  him.  And  she  arose  and  went,  and  put  her 
veil  from  her,  and  put  on  the  dress  of  her  widowhood. 
And  Jehuda  sent  the  kid  of  the  goats  by  the  hand  of 
his  friend  the  Adullemite,  to  bring  back  the  pledge  from 
the  hand  of  the  woman ;  but  he  found  her  not.  And 
he  asked  the  men  of  the  place,  saying,  Where  is  the 
harlot  who  was  in  the  sight  of  the  eyes  by  the  way  ? 
And  they  said,  There  is  no  harlot  here.  And  he 
returned  to  J ehuda  and  said,  I  could  not  find  her :  and 
the  men  of  the  place  also  said  that  no  harlot  was  there. 
And  Jehuda  said,  Lest  she  should  have  taken  the  pledge, 
lest  we  become  a  laughing-stock,  behold,  I  have  sent 
this  goat,  and  thou  canst  not  find  her. 

And  it  was  at  the  time  of  three  months,  that  she  was 
known  to  be  with  child :  and  it  was  told  to  Jehuda, 
saying,  Tamar  thy  daughter-in-law  hath  committed 
fornication,  and,  behold,  she  is  with  child  by  fornication. 
And  Jehuda  said,  Is  she  not  the  daughter  of  a  priest? 
Let  her  be  brought  forth  and  burned. 

Tamar  was  brought  forth  to  be  burned,  and  she 
searched  for  the  three  pledges,  but  found  them  not. 
Uplifting  her  eyes  to  the  heavens  above,  she  thus  said, 
Mercy  I  implore  from  Thee,  0  Lord :  answer  Thou  me 
in  this  hour  of  need,  and  enlighten  mine  eyes  to  find 
o  2 


292  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  three  witnesses ;  and  I  will  dedicate  unto  Thee 
from  my  loins  three  saints,  who  shall  sanctify  Thy 
name,  and  descend  to  the  furnace  of  fire  in  the  plain 
of  Dura. 

In  that  hour  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  signed 
to  Michael,  who  enlightened  her  eyes,  that  she  found 
(the  witnesses)  and  took  and  cast  them  before  the  feet 
of  the  judges,  and  said.  The  man  to  whom  these  pledges 
belong  is  he  by  whom  I  am  with  child.  Yet  though 
I  may  be  burned  I  do  not  make  him  manifest :  never¬ 
theless  the  Lord  of  the  world  will  cause  him  in  his 
heart  to  acknowledge  them,  and  will  deliver  me  from 
this  great  judgment. 

Now  when  Jehuda  saw  them,  he  recognised  them, 
and  said  in  his  heart.  It  is  better  for  me  to  be  ashamed 
in  this  world  that  passeth  away,  than  be  ashamed  in 
the  faces  of  my  righteous  fathers  in  the  world  to  come. 
It  is  better  that  I  burn  in  this  world  by  a  fire  that  is 
extinguished,  than  burn  in  the  world  to  come  with  fire 
devouring  fire.  Tor  measure  is  set  against  measure* 
This  is  according  to  that  which  I  said  to  Jakob  my 
father.  Know  now  the  robe  of  thy  son ;  so  am  I  now 
constrained  to  hear  at  the  place  of  judgment,  Whose 
are  this  seal  and  mantle  and  staff? 

And  Jehuda  acknowledged  and  said,  Tamar  is 
innocent ;  she  is  with  child  by  me.  And  the  Bath  kol 
fell  from  heaven,  and  said,  Trom  before  Me  was  this 
thing  done,  and  let  both  be  delivered  from  judgment. 
And  Jehuda  said,  Because  I  gave  her  not  to  Shela  my 
son,  hath  this  happened  to  me.  But  he  added  not  to 
know  her  again. 

[Jerusalem.  19.  Her  veil.  25.  Tamar  was  brought 
forth  to  be  burned  with  fire ;  and  she  sought  the  three 
witnesses,  but  found  them  not.  She  lifted  up  her  eyes  on 

3  Mekela  kebcl  mekela. 


ON  GENESIS. 


293 


XXXVIII.] 

high  and  said,  For  mercy  I  pray  before  the  Lord.  Thou 
art  He,  0  Lord  God,  who  answerest  the  afflicted  in  the 
hour  of  their  affliction ;  answer  me  in  this  the  hour  of 
my  affliction,  and  I  will  dedicate  to  thee  three  saints  in 
the  valley  of  Dura,  Hananya,  Mishael,  and  Azarya. 

[In  that  hour  the  Word  of  the  Lord  heard  the  voice 
of  her  supplication  and  said  to  Mikael,  Descend,  and  let 
her  eyes  have  light.... When  she  saw  them,  she  took 
them,  and  cast  them  before  the  feet  of  the  judges, 
saying.  By  the  man  to  whom  these  belong  I  am  with 
child.  But  though  I  may  be  burned,  I  declare  him 
not,  but  confide  in  the  Euler  of  all  the  world,  the  Lord 
who  is  witness  between  me  and  him,  that  He  will  give 
to  the  heart  of  the  man  to  whom  these  belong,  to  ac¬ 
knowledge  whose  are  these  his  ring,  and  mantle,  and  staff. 

[And  Jehuda  recognised  the  three  witnesses,  and  arose 
upon  his  feet  and  said,  I  pray  you,  my  brethren,  and  ye 
men  of  the  house  of  my  fathers,  to  hear  me.  With  the 
measure  that  a  man  measureth  shall  it  be  measured  to 
him ;  whether  good  measure  or  evil ;  and  blessed  is 
every  man  who  confesseth  his  works.  Because  I  took 
the  coat  of  Joseph  my  brother  and  dipped  it  into  the 
blood  of  a  goat,  and  brought  it  before  the  feet  of  my 
father  and  said  to  him,  Know  now  whether  this  be  thy 
soffls  coat  or  not,  the  measure  is  according  to  the 
measure,  and  the  rule  to  the  rule.  Better  is  it  for  me 
to  blush  in  this  world  than  to  blush  in  the  world  to 
come ;  better  to  burn  with  a  fire  that  goes  out,  than  to 
burn  in  the  fire  devouring  fire.  Let  Tamar  my  daughter- 
in-law  be  spared.  She  hath  not  conceived  a  child  by 
fornication,  but  because  I  did  not  give  to  her  Shela  my 
son. 

[The  Bath  kol  came  forth  from  heaven,  and  said,  Both 
of  you  are  acquitted  in  the  judgment.  The  thing  was 
from  the  Lord.  And  he  added  not  to  know  her.] 


294  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

But  it  was  in  the  time  of  her  giving  birth,  that, 
behold,  twins  were  in  her  womb.  And  it  was  in  being 
born  that  the  child  stretched  forth  his  hand ;  and  the 
midwife  took  it,  and  bound  it  with  a  scarlet  thread, 
saying,  This  came  the  first.  And  after  the  child  had 
withdrawn  his  hand,  behold,  his  brother  came  forth,  and 
she  said,  With  what  great  power  hast  thou  prevailed, 
and  for  thee  will  it  be  to  prevail ;  for  thou  wilt  possess 
the  kingdom.  And  she  called  his  name  Pharets.  And 
afterward  came  forth  his  brother,  upon  whose  hand  was 
bound  the  scarlet  thread,  and  she  called  his  name  Zarach. 

XXXIX.  But  Joseph  was  brought  down  into  Mizraim ; 

and  Potiphar,4 . a  man  of  Mizraim,  a  chief  of  Pharoh, 

a  chief  of  the  executioners,  bought  him  with  the  pledge6 
of  the  Arabians  who  had  brought  him  down  thither. 
And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  Joseph's  Helper,  and 
he  became  a  prosperous  man  in  the  house  of  his  Mizraite 
master.  And  his  master  saw  that  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  was  his  Helper,  and  that  the  Lord  prospered  in 
his  hand  all  that  he  did  ;  and  Joseph  found  favour  in 
his  eyes,  and  he  served  him,  and  he  appointed  him 
superintendent  over  his  house,  and  all  that  he  had  he 
delivered  in  his  hands.  [Jerusalem.  And  he  appointed 
him  superintendent.] 

And  it  was  from  the  time  he  appointed  him 
superintendent  over  his  house,  and  over  all  that  he  had, 
the  Lord  prospered  the  house  of  the  Mizraite  for  the 
sake  of  the  righteousness  of  Joseph,  and  the  blessing  of 
the  Lord  was  oil  all  that  he  had  in  the  house  and  in  the 
field.  And  he  left  all  that  he  had  in  Joseph's  hand, 
and  took  no  knowledge  of  anything  of  his,  except  his 
wife  with  whom  he  lay. 

4  I  have  omitted  two  clauses  in  this  chapter. — Translator. 

5  Quando  servos  vendebant  olim,eogebantur  emptori  dare  spunsionewt* 
quod  illos  non  furati  sint. — Castel,  fol.  2889. 


ON  GENESIS. 


295 


XXXIX.] 

And  Joseph  was  of  goodly  form  and  beautiful  aspect. 
And  it  was  after  these  things  that  the  wife  of  his  master 
lifted  up  her  eyes  to  Joseph,  and  said,  Lie  with  me. 
But  he  refused  to  come  near  her,  and  said  to  his  master's 
wife.  Behold,  my  master  taketh  no  knowledge  of  what 
is  with  me  in  the  house,  and  all  he  hath  he  delivereth 
into  my  hand ;  there  is  none  in  the  house  greater  than 
I,  nor  hath  he  restricted  me  from  anything  but  thyself, 
because  thou  art  his  wife  :  and  how  can  I  do  this  great 
wickedness,  and  become  guilty  before  the  Lord  ?  And 
it  was  when  she  spake  with  Joseph  this  day  and  the 
next,  and  he  hearkened  not  to  her  to  lie  with  her,  lest 
with  her  he  should  be  condemned  in  the  day  of  the 
great  judgment  of  the  world  to  come ;  it  was  on  a  certain 
day  that  he  entered  the  house  to  examine  the  tablets  of  his 
accounts,  and  there  was  no  man  of  the  house  within ; 
that  she  caught  him  by  his  garment,  saying,  Lie  with 
me :  and  he  left  his  garment  in  her  hand,  and  went 
forth  into  the  street.  And  when  she  saw  that  he  had 
left  his  garment  in  her  hand,  and  had  gone  forth  into 

the  street,  that  she . called  the  men  of  the  house  and 

said,  See  this,  which  the  Hebrew  man  hath  done,  whom 
your  master  hath  brought  to  mock  us.  He  came  in  to 
lie  with  me,  and  I  cried  with  a  high  voice.  And  when 
he  heard  that  I  lifted  up  my  voice,  he  left  his  garment 
with  me,  and  went  forth  into  the  street.  And  she  let 
the  garment  remain  until  his  master  came  into  his 
house ;  and  she  spake  to  him  according  to  these  words, 
saying,  The  Hebrew  servant  whom  thou  broughtest  to 
us  came  in  to  me  to  mock  me.  [Jerusalem.  18.  And 
it  was  when  I  thundered  with  my  voice.] 

And  when  his  master  heard  the  words  which  his  wife 
spake  with  him,  saying.  According  to  these  things  did 
thy  servant  to  me,  his  wrath  became  strong.  And 
Joseph's  master  took  counsel  of  the  priests,  who . 


296  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

put  him  not  to  death,  but  delivered  him  into  the  house 
of  the  bound,  where  the  king's  prisoners  were  bound; 
and  he  was  there  in  the  house  of  the  bound.  [Jerusa¬ 
lem.  In  the  prison  house.]  And  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  was  Joseph's  Helper,  and  extended  mercy  to  him, 
and  gave  him  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  captain  of  the 
prison.  And  the  captain  of  the  prison  confided  all  the 
prisoners  who  were  in  the  house  to  Joseph's  hands,  and 
whatsoever  was  done  there  he  commanded  to  be  done. 
It  was  not  needful  for  the  captain  of  the  prison  to  watch 
Joseph,  after  the  custom  of  all  prisoners,  because  he  saw 
that  there  was  no  fault  in  his  hands;  for  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  was  his  Helper,  and  that  which  he  did  the 
Lord  made  it  to  prosper. 

XL.  And  after  these  things  it  was  shown,  saying,  The 
chief  of  the  butlers  of  the  king  of  Mizraim,  and  the 
chief  of  the  bakers,  have  offended ;  having  taken  counsel 
to  throw  the  poison  of  death  into  his  food,  and  into  his 
drink,  to  kill  their  master  the  king  of  Mizraim.  And 
Pharoh  was  angry  when  he  heard  concerning  his  two 
servants,  the  chief  cup-bearer  and  the  chief  baker.  And 
he  gave  them  in  ward  in  the  house  of  the  chief  execu¬ 
tioner,  the  prison  house  where  Joseph  was  confined. 
And  the  chief  executioner  intrusted  Joseph  with  them, 
and  he  served  them,  and  they  were  certain  days  in  the 
house  of  custody. 

And  they  dreamed  a  dream,  both  of  them,  each  man 
his  dream  in  one  night,  each  man  his  own  dream,  and  the 
interpretation  of  his  companion's  dream,  the  butler  and 
the  baker  of  the  king  of  Mizraim  who  were  confined  in  the 
prison.  And  Joseph  came  to  them  in  the  morning,  and 
saw  them,  and,  behold,  they  were  troubled.  And  Joseph 
asked  the  chiefs  of  Pharoh  who  were  with  him  in  the 
custody  of  his  master's  house,  saying,  Why  is  the  look 
of  your  faces  more  evil  to-day  than  all  the  other  days 


ON  GENESIS. 


297 


XL.] 

that  you  have  been  here?  And  they  said  to  him,  We 
have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is  no  interpreter  for 
it.  And  Joseph  answered,  Are  not  the  interpretations 
of  dreams  from  the  Lord  ?  Tell  it  now  to  me.  And 
the  chief  of  the  butlers  related  his  dream  to  Joseph, 
and  said  to  him,  I  saw  in  my  dream,  and,  behold, 
a  vine  was  before  me.  And  in  the  vine  were  three 
branches ;  and  as  it  sprouted  it  brought  forth  buds,  and 
immediately  they  ripened  into  clusters,  and  became 
grapes.  And  I  saw  till  they  gave  the  cup  of  Pharoh 
into  my  hand,  and  I  took  the  grapes,  and  expressed 
them  into  Pharoh' s  cup,  and  gave  the  cup  into  Pharoh's 
hand. 

And  Joseph  said  to  him,  This  is  the  end  of  the  inter¬ 
pretation  of  the  dream.  The  three  branches  are  the 
three  Lathers  of  the  wrorld,  Abraham,  Izhak,  and  Jakob, 
the  children  of  whose  sons  are  to  be  enslaved  in  Mizraim 
in  clay  and  brick  (work,)  and  in  all  labour  of  the  face 
of  the  field :  but  afterwards  shall  they  be  delivered  by 
the  hand  of  three  shepherds.  As  thou  hast  said,  T  took 
the  grapes  and  expressed  them  into  Pharoh's  cup,  and 
gave  the  cup  into  Pharoh' s  hand  :  It  is  the  vial  of  wrath 
which  Pharoh  (himself)  is  to  drink  at  the  last.  But 
thou,  the  chief  butler,  shalt  receive  a  good  reward, 
concerning  the  good  dream  which  thou  hast  dreamed ; 
and  the  interpretation  of  it,  to  thyself,  is  this :  The 
three  branches  are  three  days  until  thy  liberation.  At 
the  end  of  three  days  the  memory  of  thee  will  come 
before  Pharoh,  and  he  will  lift  up  thy  head  with  honour, 
and  restore  thee  to  thy  service,  and  thou  wilt  give  the 
cup  of  Pharoh  into  his  hand,  according  to  thy  former 
custom  in  pouring  out 6  for  him. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Joseph  said,  This  is  the  interpreta¬ 
tion  of  the  dream :  The  three  branches  are  the  three 

8  Or,  “  commingling.” 

o  5 


298  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP* 

Fathers  of  the  world,  Abraham,  Izhak,  and  Jakob,  the 
children  of  whose  sons  will  be  enslaved  in  the  land  of 
Mizraim,  and  will  be  delivered  by  the  hand  of  three 
faithful  pastors, 7  who  may  be  likened  to  the  clusters. 
And  whereas  thou  hast  said,  I  took  the  grapes  and  ex¬ 
pressed  them  into  the  cup  of  Pharoh,  and  gave  the  cup 
into  Pharoh's  hand :  It  is  the  cup  of  retribution  which 
Pharoh  is  to  drink  at  the  last.  As  to  thyself,  the  chief 
of  the  butlers,  thou  wilt  not  lose  thy  reward ;  for  this 
dream  which  thou  hast  dreamed  is  good.  Nevertheless 
the  interpretation  of  the  dream  (as  relating  to  himself) 
Joseph  had  not  told  him ;  but  afterwards  he  explained 
it,  when  it  pleased  him.  And  Joseph  said  to  him,  The 
three  branches  are  three  days.] 

J oseph,  leaving  his  higher  trust 8  and  retaining  confi¬ 
dence  in  a  man,  said  to  the  chief  butler,  But  be  thou 
mindful  of  me  when  it  shall  be  well  with  thee,  and  act 
kindly  by  me,  and  remember  me  before  Pharoh,  and 
obtain  my  deliverance  from  this  prison  house.  For  I 
vras  verily  carried  awray  dishonestly  from  the  land  of 
the  Hivraee ;  and  here  also  I  have  done  nothing  evil, 
that  they  should  put  me  in  prison. 

And  the  chief  baker,  when  he  understood  the  inter¬ 
pretation  of  his  companion's  dream,  seeing  that  he  had 
interpreted  well,  began  to  speak  with  an  impatient 
tongue,  and  said  to  Joseph,  I  also  saw  in  my  dream, 
and,  behold,  three  baskets  of  fine  cakes  were  upon  my 
head ;  [Jerusalem.  And,  behold,  three  baskets  of  hot 
loaves  were  upon  my  head  ;]  and  in  the  upper  basket  of 
all  delicious  meat  for  Pharoh  made  by  the  confectioner : 
and  the  birds  ate  them  from  the  basket  upon  my  head. 

Joseph  answered  and  said,  This  is  its  interpretation. 
The  three  baskets  are  the  three  enslavements  with  which 
the  house  of  Israel  are  to  be  enslaved.  But  thou,  the 

7  Or,  “  rulers.”  8  Rochetsana,  “  covjidentia .” 


ON  GENESIS. 


'299 


XL.] 


chief  of  the  bakers,  wilt  receive  an  evil  award,  by  the 
dream  which  thou  hast  dreamed.  And  J oseph  explained 
it,  as  it  was  proper  in  his  eyes,  and  said  to  him  :  This 
is  its  interpretation  to  thyself.  The  three  baskets  are 
three  days  until  thy  death.  At  the  end  of  three  days, 
Pharoh  with  the  sword  will  take  away  thy  head  from 
thy  body,  and  will  hang  thee  upon  a  gibbet,  and  the 
birds  will  eat  thy  flesh  from  thee.  [Jerusalem.  And 
he  said  to  him,  The  three  baskets  are  the  three  heavy 
enslavements  which  are  to  happen  to  the  house  of  Israel 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  in  clay,  and  in  bricks,  and  in  all 
work  on  the  face  of  the  field.  It  will  be  that  Pharoh 
king  of  Mizraim  will  decree  evil  decrees  against  Israel, 
and  throw  their  children  into  the  river.  Nevertheless 
Pharoh  will  perish,  and  his  host  be  destroyed,  but  the 
sons  of  Israel  will  go  forth  redeemed  with  uncovered 
head.  And  thou,  the  chief  of  the  bakers,  wilt  receive 
punishment;  for  this  dream  which  thou  hast  dreamed 
is  evil.  But  the  interpretation  of  the  dream  Joseph  did 
not  (at  once)  make  known  to  him ;  but  afterwards 
Joseph  expounded  it,  when  it  pleased  him.  And  Joseph 
said  to  him,  This  is  the  interpretation  of  the  dream. 
The  three  baskets  are  three  days.] 

And  it  was  on  the  third  day,  the  nativity  of  Pharoh, 
that  he  made  a  feast  to  all  his  servants.  And  he  lifted 
up  the  head  of  the  chief  butler,  and  the  head  of  the  chief 
baker,  in  the  midst  of  his  servants.  And  he  restored 
the  chief  butler  to  his  butlership,  because  he  found  he 
had  not  been  in  that  counsel.  And  he  gave  the  cup 
into  Pharoh's  hand.  But  the  chief  baker  he  hanged, 
because  he  had  taken  counsel  to  kill  him,  even  as  Joseph 
had  expounded  to  them. 

But  because  Joseph  had  withdrawn  from 9  the  mercy 
that  is  above,  and  had  put  his  confidence  in  the  chief 

9  ShabaJc,  “  had  forsaken.’* 


300  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

butler,  he  waited  on  the  flesh.  Therefore  the  chief 
butler  did  not  remember  Joseph,  but  forgat  him,  until 
from  the  Lord  came  the  time  of  the  end  that  he  should 
be  released.  [J erusalem.  Joseph  left  the  mercy  above, 
and  the  mercy  beneath,  and  the  mercy  which  accompanied 
him  from  his  father’s  house,  and  put  his  confidence  in 
the  chief  butler  :  he  trusted  in  the  flesh,  and  the  flesh 
he  tasted  of,  even  the  cup  of  death.  Neither  did  he 
remember  the  scripture  where  it  is  written  expressly, 
Cursed  shall  be  the  man  who  trusteth  in  the  flesh,  and 
setteth  the  flesh  as  his  confidence.  Blessed  shall  be  the 
man  who  trusteth  in  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  and  whose  confidence  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 
Therefore  the  chief  butler  did  not  remember  Joseph,  but 
forgat  him,  until  the  time  of  the  end  came  that  he  should 
be  released.] 


SECTION  X. 

V  A  YE  HI  MEKETS. 


It  was  at  the  end  of  two  years,  that  the  remembrance 
of  Joseph  came  before  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  And 
Pharoh  dreamed,  and,  behold,  he  stood  by  the  river,  and, 
behold,  from  the  river  came  up  seven  oxen  good-looking 
and  fat-fleshed ;  and  they  grazed  in  the  midst  of  the 
sedges.1  [Jerusalem.  Grazing  in  the  midst  of  the 
sedges.1]  And,  behold,  seven  other  oxen  came  up  from 
the  river,  evil-looking,  and  lean  in  their  flesh,  and  stood 
by  the  side  of  the  oxen  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  And 
1  Gomaya ,  “  papyri.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


301 


XLI.] 


the  evil-looking  and  lean-fleshed  oxen  devoured  the 
seven  good-looking  and  fat.  And  Pharoh  awoke  from 
his  sleep. 

And  he  slept,  and  saw  a  second  dream ;  and,  behold, 
seven  ears  arose  on  one  stalk,  full  and  good;  and, 
behold,  seven  ears,  thin  and  blighted  with  the  east 
wind,  sprang  up  after  them.  And  the  seven  thin  ears 
devoured  the  seven  fat  and  full.  And  Pharoh  awoke, 
and,  behold,  it  was  a  dream.  And  in  the  morning  his 
spirit  was  troubled,  and  he  sent  and  called  all  the  magi¬ 
cians  of  Mizraim,  and  all  the  wise  men;  and  Pharoh 
told  them  the  dreams;  but  no  man  was  able  to  inter¬ 
pret  it ;  for  it  was  occasioned2  by  the  Lord,  because  the 
time  had  come  that  Joseph  should  come  forth  from  the 
house  of  the  bound. 

And  the  chief  of  the  cup-bearers  spake  before  Pharoh, 
saying,  My  faults  do  I  remember  this  day.  It  was 
occasioned  from  the  Lord  that  Pharoh  was  angry  with 
his  servants,  and  he  put  me  in  wrard  in  the  house  of  the 
chief  executioner,  me  and  the  chief  baker.  And  we 
dreamed  a  dream  in  one  night,  I  and  he ;  each  man  his 
(own)  dream,  and  the  interpretation  of  his  companion’s 
dream  we  dreamed.  And  there  was  with  us  a  Hebrew 
youth,  a  servant  of  the  chief  executioner ;  and  we  re¬ 
counted  to  him,  and  he  explained  the  dream  to  us,  to 
each  man  he  explained  the  interpretation  of  his  dream. 
And  even  as  he  interpreted  to  us  so  it  was;  me  he 
restored  in  his  sentence  to  the  order  of  my  service,  and 
him  he  hanged. 

And  Pharoh  sent  and  called  Joseph,  and  hastened 
him  from  the  prison ;  and  he  dressed  his  hair,3  and 
changed  his  garments,  and  went  unto  Pharoh.  And 
Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and 
there  is  no  interpreter  for  it ;  and  I  have  heard  of  thee, 

2  Istakaph.  3  Shaphar,  “  totondit.” 


302  TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

saying,  that  if  thou  hear  a  dream  thou  canst  explain  it. 
And  Joseph  answered  Pharoh,  saying,  (It  is)  without 
me ;  it  is  not  man  who  interprets  dreams  :  but  from 
before  the  Lord  shall  be  an  answer  of  peace  unto 
Pharoh. 

And  Pharoh  spake  with  Joseph,  saying,  I  saw  in  my 
dream,  and,  behold,  I  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 
And,  behold,  from  the  river  came  up  seven  oxen,  fat- 
fleshed  and  good-looking,  and  they  grazed  in  the  midst 
of  the  sedges.  And,  behold,  seven  other  oxen  came  up 
after  them,  wasted,  and  very  evil-looking,  and  lean  in 
their  flesh.  I  have  not  seen  the  like  of  them  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim  for  badness.  And  the  wasted  and  evil 
oxen  devoured  the  first  seven  fat  oxen.  And  they 
entered  into  their  stomach,  but  it  could  not  be  known 
that  they  had  entered  into  their  stomach,  for  their 
appearance  was  evil  as  before ;  and  I  awoke. 

And  I  saw  in  my  dream,  and,  behold,  seven  ears  arose 
on  one  stalk,  full  and  good;  and,  behold,  seven  ears 
withered,  thin,4  blighted  with  the  east  wind,  sprang  up 
after  them.  And  the  seven  thin  ears  devoured  the  seven 
good  ears.  And  I  told  the  magicians,  but  there  is  no 
one  w7ho  can  teach  me. 

And  Joseph  said  to  Pharoh,  The  dream  of  Pharoh  is 
one.  That  which  the  Lord  is  about  to  do  He  showeth 
to  Pharoh.  The  seven  good  oxen  announce  seven 
years ;  and  the  seven  good  ears  announce  also  those 
seven  years  :  the  dream  is  one.  And  the  seven  wasted 
and  evil  oxen  which  arose  after  them  announce  seven 
other  years ;  and  the  seven  ears  thin  and  blighted  with  the 
east  wind  likewise  make  known  that  there  will  be  seven 
years  of  famine.  This  is  the  word  that  I  speak  to  Pha¬ 
roh  :  what  the  Lord  is  about  to  do  He  showeth  Pharoh. 
Behold,  there  come  seven  years  of  great  plenty  in  all 

4  Or,  "  stricken.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


303 


XLI.] 


the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  after  them  will  arise  seven 
years  of  famine,  which  will  make  all  the  plenty  that  was 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim  to  be  forgotten ;  and  the  famine 
will  consume  the  inhabitants  of  the  land ;  neither  will 
the  plenty  which  had  been  in  the  land  be  known,  for 
the  famine  that  will  be  afterward,  because  it  will  be 
exceeding  strong.  And  forasmuch  as  the  dream  was 
repeated  to  Pharoh  twice,  therefore  is  the  thing  con¬ 
firmed  before  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  hasteneth  to 
do  it. 

But  now  let  Pharoh  look  out  a  man  prudent  and 
wise,  and  appoint  him  over  the  land  of  Mizraim.  Let 
Pharoh  make  superintendents  over  the  land,  and  let 
them  take  out  one  part  in  five  of  all  the  produce  of  the 
land  of  Mizraim  in  the  seven  years  of  plenty.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  Let  Pharoh  make  and  appoint  him  a  superin¬ 
tendent  over  the  land ;  and  let  him  set  apart  one  in  five 
throughout  the  land  of  Mizraim  in  the  seven  years  of 
plenty.]  And  let  them  collect  all  the  produce  of  those 
good  years  that  are  coming,  and  gather  together  the 
produce  under  the  hand  of  Pharoh’ s  superintendents, 
and  set  the  produce  in  the  cities  to  be  kept ;  and  there 
will  be  provision  laid  up  (as)  in  a  cavern  in  the  earth, 
that  therefrom  they  may  take  in  the  years  of  famine 
which  come  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim,  that  the  people 
of  the  land  perish  not  through  the  famine. 

And  the  word  was  good  before  Pharoh,  and  before 
all  his  servants.  And  Pharoh  said  to  his  servants,  Can 
we  find  a  man  like  this,  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy 
from  the  Lord?  And  Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  Since 
the  Lord  hath  made  known  all  this  to  thee,  there  is  no 
one  so  prudent  and  wise  as  thou  art.  Thou  shalt  be 
superintendent  over  my  house,  and  by  the  decree  of  thy 
mouth  shall  all  my  people  be  armed ;  only  in  the  throne 
of  the  kingdom  will  I  be  greater  than  thou.  And 


304  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  See,  I  have  appointed  thee 
prince 0  over  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

And  Pharoh  took  off  his  ring  from  his  hand,  and  set 
it  on  Joseph's  hand;  and  he  clothed  him  in  vestments 
of  fine  linen,  and  set  a  collar  of  gold  upon  his  neck,  and 
made  him  ride  in  the  second  chariot  of  Pharoh ;  and 
they  chanted  before  him,  This  is  the  Pather  of  the  king; 
Great  in  wisdom,  few  6  in  years.  And  he  appointed  him 
prince  over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  [Jerusalem. 
And  they  chanted  before  him,  and  said,  Live  the  Pather 
of  the  king.  Great  in  wisdom  and  few  in  years.]  And 
Pharoh  said  to  Joseph,  I  am  Pharoh  the  king,  and  thou 
art  viceregent,7  and  without  thy  word  a  man  shall  not 
lift  up  his  hand  to  gird  on  arms,  or  his  foot  to  mount  a 
horse  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Pharoh  called 
the  name  of  Joseph,  The  man  who  revealeth  mysteries. 
And  he  gave  him  Asenath,  whom  Dinah  had  borne  to 
Shekem,  and  the  wife  of  Potiphera  prince  (Rabba)  of 
Tanis  had  brought  up,  to  be  his  wife.  And  Joseph 
went  forth  ruler  over  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Joseph  was  a  son  of  thirty  years  when  he  stood  before 
Pharoh,  king  of  Mizraim.  And  Joseph  went  out  from 
Pharoh,  and  passed,  a  prince  and  a  ruler,  through  all 
the  land  of  Mizraim. 

And  the  earth  (so)  brought  forth,  that  every  blade 
made  two  handsfull  in  the  seven  years  of  plenty,  until 
all  the  granaries  were  full.  And  they  gathered  all  the 
produce  of  the  seven  years  of  plenty  which  were  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  and  he  laid  up  the  produce  in  the  cities ; 
the  produce  of  the  fields  which  were  round  about  a  city 
he  laid  up  therein. 

And  to  Joseph  were  born  two  sons  before  the  year  of 
famine  arose,  which  Asenath  who  had  been  brought  up 
in  the  house  of  Potiphera  prince  of  Tanis  bare  to  him. 

5  Sarkan.  8  Or,  “tender.”  7  Alkajphta. 


ON  GENESIS. 


305 


XLII.] 


And  Joseph  called  the  name  of  his  first-born  Menasheh  ; 
because.  The  Lord  hath  made  me  forget  all  my  weariness 
and  all  the  house  of  my  father.  And  the  name  of  the 
second  he  called  Ephraim ;  for  he  said,  The  Lord  hath 
made  me  mighty  in  the  land  of  my  affliction,  as  he  will 
make  the  house  of  my  father  mighty  here  in  their 
afflictions. 

And  the  seven  years  of  plenty  were  completed  which 
were  to  come  in  the  land  of  Mizraim ;  and  the  seven 
years  of  famine  began  to  be,  as  Joseph  had  said.  And 
there  was  famine  in  all  lands,  but  in  all  the  land  of 
Mizraim  there  was  bread.  And  all  the  land  of  Mizraim 
had  dearth ;  because  the  seed  wheat  bare  no  fruit,  and 
the  people  cried  before  Pharoh  for  bread.  And  Pharoh 
said  to  all  the  Mizraee,  Go  to  Joseph,  and  what  he  shall 
tell  you  do.  And  the  famine  was  upon  all  the  face  of 
the  land ;  and  Joseph  opened  all  the  treasures  and  sold 
to  the  Mizraee.  And  the  famine  waxed  mighty  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim ;  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
came  into  Mizraim  to  buy  provision  of  Joseph ;  for  the 
famine  was  mighty  in  all  the  earth. 

XLII.  And  Jakob  saw  that  provisions  might  be 
bought,  and  that  they  brought  corn  from  Mizraim ;  and 
Jakob  said  to  his  sons,  Why  are  you  afraid  to  go  down 
to  Mizraim  ?  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  have  heard  that 
corn  is  sold  in  Mizraim  :  go  down  thither  and  bay  for 
us  from  thence,  that  we  may  live  and  not  die.  And  the 
ten  brothers  of  Joseph  went  down  to  buy  corn  from 
Mizraim.  But  Benjamin,  Joseph's  brother,  Jakob  sent 
not  down  with  his  brethren ;  for  he  said.  Behold,  he  is 
a  youth,  and  I  fear  lest  death  should  befall  him. 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  went  every  one  by  one  door, 
lest  the  evil  eye  should  have  sway  over  them,  as  they  went 
together  to  buy  among  the  Kenaanites  who  went  also 
to  buy ;  because  the  famine  was  in  the  land  of  Kenaan. 


306  TAUGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Joseph  was  ruler  over  the  land ;  and  he  knew 
that  his  brethren  had  come  to  buy ;  for  he  had  appointed 
notaries  at  the  gates  of  the  city  to  register  daily,  of 
every  one  who  came,  his  name  and  the  name  of  his 
father;  and  he  it  was  who  sold  corn  to  all  the  people 
of  the  land. 

And  the  brethren  of  Joseph  came.  And  they  looked 
through  all  the  streets,  and  public  places,  and  hospices, 
but  could  not  find  Him.  And  they  came  unto  his 
house,  and  worshipped  him  with  their  faces  to  the 
ground. 

And  J osepli  saw  his  brethren,  and  recognised  them ; 
but  he  made  himself  as  a  stranger  in  their  eyes,  and 
spake  hard  words  to  them,  and  said  to  them,  Whence 
come  you  ?  And  they  said,  From  the  land  of  Kenaan, 
to  buy  corn.  Now  Joseph  recognised  his  brethren, 
because,  when  separated  from  them,  they  had  the  token 
of  the  beard ;  but  they  did  not  recognise  him,  because 
(at  that  time)  he  had  not  the  token  of  the  beard,  and 
at  this  hour  he  had  it.  And  Joseph  remembered  the 
dreams  he  had  dreamed  of  them.  And  he  said  to  them, 
You  are  spies  :  to  see  the  nakedness  of  the  shame  of  the 
land  are  you  come.  And  they  answered  him.  No,  my 
lord,  thy  servants  are  come  to  buy  corn :  we  are  all  the 
sons  of  one  man ;  we  are  true ;  thy  servants  are  not 
spies.  But  he  said  to  them,  No,  but  to  see  the  naked¬ 
ness  of  the  shame  of  the  land  are  you  come.  They 
answered,  Thy  servants  are  twelve  brothers,  the  sons  of 
one  man,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan;  and,  behold,  the 
youngest  is  to-day  with  our  father,  and  one  went  from 
us,  and  we  know  not  what  hath  been  in  his  end !  And 
Joseph  said  to  them,  This  is  what  I  have  spoken  to  you, 
saying.  You  are  spies.  By  that  word  you  shall  be 
proved.  (By)  the  life  of  Pliaroh  you  shall  not  go  hence 
unless  your  youngest  brother  be  brought  hither.  Send 


ON  GENESIS. 


307 


XLII.] 

one  of  you,  and  bring  your  brother ;  but  you  shall  be 
bound,  and  your  words  be  proved  if  the  truth  is  with 
you :  and  if  not,  (by)  the  life  of  Pharoh  yon  are  spies. 
And  he  kept  them  together  in  the  house  of  confinement 
three  days. 

And  J oseph  said  to  them  on  the  third  day,  This  do, 
that  you  may  live ;  for  I  fear  the  Lord.  If  you  are  true, 
let  one  of  your  brothers  be  bound  in  the  house  of  your 
confinement ;  and  go  you,  carry  the  corn,  that  you  may 
buy  for  the  hunger  of  your  house,  and  bring  your 
youngest  brother  to  me,  that  your  words  may  be  verified, 
and  you  may  not  die.  And  they  did  so. 

And  they  said,  a  man  to  his  brother,  In  truth  we  are 
guilty  concerning  our  brother,  when  we  saw  the  distress 
of  his  soul,  when  he  entreated  us,  and  we  would  not 
hearken  to  him ;  therefore  hath  this  affliction  come  upon 
us.  And  Reuben  answered  them  and  said,  Did  I  not 
tell  you,  saying,  Do  not  sin  against  the  youth  ?  But  you 
would  not  listen  to  me;  and  thus,  behold,  his  blood  is 
required  of  us.  But  they  knew  not  that  Joseph  under¬ 
stood  (heard)  the  holy  language ;  for  Menasheh  was 
interpreter8  between  them.  [Jerusalem.  But  they 
knew  not  that  Joseph  heard  in  the  holy  language ;  for 
as  an  interpeter  Menasheh  stood  between  them.]  And 
he  withdrew  from  them  and  wept,  and  returned  and 
spake  with  them.  And  from  them  he  took  Shimeon, 
who  had  counselled  them  to  kill  him,  and  bound  him 
before  them. 

And  Joseph  commanded  his  servant  to  fill  their 
vehicles  with  corn,  and  to  return  each  man's  money  in 
his  sack,  and  to  give  them  provisions  for  the  way. 
And  he  did  so  for  them.  And  they  laid  their  corn 
upon  their  asses  and  went  thence. 

8  Meturgeman. 


308  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Levi,  who  had  been  left  without  Shimeon  his  com¬ 
panion,  opened  his  sack  to  give  food  to  his  ass  at  the 
place  of  lodging,  and  saw  his  money :  behold,  it  was  in 
the  mouth  of  his  pannier.  And  he  said  to  his  brothers. 
My  money  is  returned,  behold,  it  is  in  my  pannier.  And 
knowledge  failed  from  their  hearts,  and  each  wondered 
with  his  brother,  saying,  What  is  this  which  the  Lord 
hath  done,  and  not  for  sin  of  ours  ? 

And  they  came  to  Jakob  their  father  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  and  related  to  him  all  that  had  befallen  them, 
saying.  The  man  the  lord  of  the  land  spake  with  us 
harshly,  and  treated  us  as  spies  of  the  country  :  but  we 
said  to  him.  We  are  faithful  men,  not  spies.  We  are 
twelve  brothers,  sons  of  our  father ;  of  one,  we  know 
not  what  was  his  end,  and  the  youngest  is  to-day  with 
our  father  in  the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  the  man,  the 
lord  of  the  land  said  to  us.  By  this  I  shall  know  that 
you  are  true.  Leave  me  one  of  your  brothers  with  me, 
and  what  is  needed  by  the  hunger  of  your  houses  take, 
and  go,  and  bring  your  youngest  brother  to  me,  and  I 
shall  know  that  you  are  not  spies,  but  faithful.  I  will 
(then)  restore  your  brother  to  you,  and  you  shall 
transact  business  in  the  land. 

And  it  was  as  they  emptied  their  baggages,  behold, 
every  man's  bundle  of  money  was  in  his  baggage ;  and 
they  and  their  father  sawT  the  bundles  of  money,  and 
they  were  afraid  on  account  of  Shimeon  whom  they  had 
left  there.  And  Jakob  their  father  said  to  them,  Me 
have  you  bereaved !  Of  Joseph  you  said,  An  evil  beast 
hath  devoured  him ;  of  Shimeon  you  have  said,  The 
king  of  the  land  hath  bound  him ;  and  Benjamin  you 
seek  to  take  away :  upon  me  is  the  anguish  of  all  of 
them.  [Jerusalem.  And  Jakob  their  father  said  to 
them.  Me  have  you  bereaved  of  Joseph.  From  the 
hour  that  I  sent  him  to  you  I  have  not  known  what  was 


XLTII.]  ON  GENESIS.  309 

his  end;  and  Benjamin  yon  are  seeking  to  take.  Yet 
by  me  are  to  arise  the  twelve  tribes.]  And  Reuben 
spake  to  his  father,  saying,  Slay  my  two  sons  with  a 
curse 9  if  I  do  not  bring  him  to  thee.  Give  him  into 
my  hand,  and  I  will  restore  him  to  thee.  But  he  said, 
My  son  shall  not  go  down  with  you ;  for  his  brother  is 
dead,  and  he  alone  remains  of  his  mother ;  and  if  death 
should  befall  him  in  the  way  that  you  go,  you  will 
bring  down  my  age  with  mourning  to  the  grave.  But 
the  famine  was  strong  in  the  land.  [Jerusalem. 
Death.] 

XLIII.  And  it  was  when  they  had  finished  eating 
the  corn  they  had  brought  from  Mizraim,  their  father 
said  to  them,  Return  and  buy  us  a  little  corn.  And 
Jehuda  spake  to  him,  saying,  The  man  attesting  attested 
to  us  saying,  You  shall  not  see  the  sight  of  my  face  unless 
your  youngest  brother  be  with  you.  If  thou  wilt  send 
our  brother  with  us,  we  will  go  down  and  buy  corn  for 
thee;  but  if  thou  wilt  not  send  (him),  we  will  not  go 
down ;  for  the  man  told  us,  You  shall  not  see  the  sight 
of  my  face  unless  your  brother  be  with  you. 

And  Israel  said,  Why  did  you  do  me  evil  in  showing 
the  man  that  you  had  yet  a  brother  ?  And  they  said,  The 
man  demanding  demanded  (to  know)  about  us,  and 
about  our  family,  saying,  Is  your  father  yet  living  ? 
Have  you  a  brother  ?  And  we  informed  him  according 
to  the  word  of  these  things.  Could  we  know  that  he 
would  say.  Bring  your  brother  down?  And  Jehuda 
said  to  Israel  his  father,  Send  the  youth  with  me,  that 
we  may  arise  and  go ;  and  that  we  may  live  and  not 
die,  both  we,  and  you,  and  our  little  ones.  I  will  be 
surety  for  him :  of  my  hand  shalt  thou  require  him. 
If  I  bring  him  not  to  thee  again,  and  set  him  before 
thee,  the  guilt  be  upon  me  before  thee  all  days. 

9  Be-schamatha. 


310  TAEGU M  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

[Jerusalem.  I  will  be  afar  off  from  tbe  saluta¬ 
tion  of  my  father  all  days.]  For  unless  we  had  thus 
delayed,  we  should  already  have  returned  these  two 
times. 

And  Israel  their  father  said  to  them,  If  it  must  be  so, 
do  this  :  Take  of  the  praiseworthy  things  of  the  land, 
and  put  them  in  your  vessels,  and  carry  down  the  man 
a  present,  a  little  gum 1  and  a  little  honey,  wax  and 
ladanum,2  the  oil  of  nuts,  and  the  oil  of  almonds,  and 
money  two  upon  one  [J erusalem.  Double]  take  in  your 
hands,  even  the  money  that  was  returned  in  the  mouth  of 
your  baggage,  take  back  in  your  hands;  perhaps  it  was 
done  in  error.  And  take  Benjamin  your  brother,  and 
arise,  return  to  the  man,  and  God  the  Almighty  give 
you  mercies  before  the  man,  that  he  may  release  to  you 
your  other  brother,  and  Benjamin  :  and  I,  behold,  I  am 
now  certified  by  the  Holy  Spirit  that  if  I  am  bereaved 
of  Joseph,  I  shall  also  be  bereaved  of  Shimeon  and  of 
Benjamin.  [Jerusalem.  And  I,  behold,  if  I  be  not 
bereaved  of  my  son  Joseph,  so  shall  I  not  add  to  be 
bereaved  of  Shimeon  and  of  Benjamin.] 

The  men  took  the  present,  and  the  money  two  for 
one  in  their  hands,  and  they  took  Benjamin,  and  went 
down  to  Mizraim,  and  stood  before  Joseph.  And 
Joseph  saw  Benjamin  with  them :  and  he  said  to 
Menasheh  whom  he  had  made  superintendent  over  his 
house,  Bring  the  men  into  the  house,  and  unloose  the 
house  of  slaughter,  and  take  out  the  sinew  that  shrank, 
and  prepare  meat  before  them ;  for  the  man  shall  eat 
with  me  at  the  time  of  the  noon-day  meal.  And  the 
man  did  as  Joseph  had  said,  and  the  man  brought  the 
men  into  Joseph's  house. 

1  Seraph  Jcetaph,  “liquid  gum.”  Lacliryma  arlorum ,  tire  herlarum. 
— Pesac.,  39,  1.  Opobalsamnm. — Josbphus,  Ant.,  8,  6. 

2  Letom ,  Arab.,  Ladanon ,  “  gum  of  the  cistus.” 


XLIII.]  ON  GENESIS.  311 

The  men  feared  when  they  were  brought  into 
Joseph's  house,  and  said,  Tor  the  money  that  was 
returned  in  our  sacks  at  the  first  are  we  brought  in, 
that  he  may  find  occasion  against  us  and  condemn  us,  and 
sell  us  for  slaves,  and  take  our  asses.  And  they  drew  near 
the  man  who  had  been  appointed  intendant  over  Joseph's 
house,  and  spake  with  him  at  the  gate  of  the  house. 
And  they  said,  We  entreat  you,  my  lord :  we  indeed 
came  down  at  first  to  buy  corn.  But  it  was  when  we 
had  come  to  our  place  of  lodging,  that  we  opened  our 
sacks,  and,  behold,  the  money  of  a  man  was  in  the  mouth 
of  his  sack :  but  we  have  brought  it  back  in  our  hand. 
And  other  money  have  we  brought  down  in  hand  to 
buy  corn.  We  know  not  who  put  the  money  in  our 
sacks.  And  he  said,  Peace  to  you;  be  not  afraid  of 
my  lord.  Your  God  and  the  God  of  your  fathers  gave 
you  treasure  in  your  sacks :  your  money  came  to  me. 
And  he  brought  out  Shimeon  to  them. 

The  man  brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house,  and 
gave  them  water,  and  they  washed  their  feet ;  and  he 
gave  them  provender  for  their  asses.  And  they  made 
ready  the  present  against  the  entrance  of  Joseph  at  the 
noon- day  feast ;  for  they  had  heard  from  him  that  they 
were  to  eat  bread  there. 

And  Joseph  entered  the  house,  and  they  offered  to 
him  the  present  which  was  in  their  hands  for  the  house; 
and  bowed  before  him  upon  the  ground.  And  Joseph 
saluted  them,  and  said,  Is  it  well  with  your  father,  the 
old  man  of  whom  you  told  me  P  Is  he  still  alive  ?  They 
answered,  It  is  well  with  thy  servant  our  father;  he  is 
yet  alive.  And  they  bowed  and  made  obeisance.  And 
he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  saw  Benjamin  his  brother,  the 
son  of  his  mother,  and  said,  Is  this  your  youngest 
brother  of  whom  you  told  me?  And  he  said,  Mercy 
from  the  Lord  be  upon  thee,  my  son ! 


312  TAB-GUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Joseph  made  haste,  for  his  compassions  were 
moved  upon  his  brother,  and  he  sought  to  weep,  and 
he  went  into  the  chamber  [Jerusalem.  Into  the 
chamber]  the  house  of  sleep,  and  wept  there.  And  he 
washed  [Jerusalem.  And  he  washed]  his  face  from 
tears,  and  came  forth,  and  hastened  and  said,  Set  bread. 
And  they  set  for  him  by  himself,  and  for  them  by 
themselves,  and  for  the  Mizraee  who  ate  with  him  by 
themselves ;  for  it  was  not  proper  for  the  Mizraee  to 
eat  bread  with  the  Yehudaee,  because  the  animals 
which  the  Mizraee  worshipped  the  Yehudaee  ate.  And 
they  sat  around  him,  the  greatest  according  to  his 
majority,  and  the  less  according  to  his  minority.  Tor 
he  had  taken  the  silver  cup  in  his  hand, "and,  sounding8 
as  if  divining,  he  had  set  in  order  the  sons  of  Leah  on 
one  side,  and  the  sons  of  Zilpha  on  the  other  side,  and 
the  sons  of  Bilhah  on  another  side,  and  Benjamin  the 
son  of  Kaliel  he  ordered  by  the  side  of  himself.  And 
the  men  wondered  each  at  the  other.  And  he  sent 
portions  from  his  table,  and  they  set  them  forth  from 
him  before  them.  But  Benjamin's  portion  was  larger 
than  the  portions  of  any  of  them ;  five  portions :  one 
was  his  own  portion:  one  portion  from  himself,  one 
from  his  wife,  and  two  portions  from  his  two  sons. 
And  they  drank  and  were  drunken  with  him ;  for  from 
the  day  when  they  were  separated  from  him  they  had 
not  drunk  wine,  neither  he  nor  they,  until  that  day. 

XLIY.  And  he  commanded  Menasheh,  whom  he 
had  appointed  intendant  of  his  house,  saying,  Bill  the 
men's  sacks  with  corn,  as  much  as  they  can  carry,  and 
put  each  man's  money  in  the  mouth  of  his  bag.  And 
put  my  cup,  the  silver  cup,  in  the  mouth  of  the  sack 
of  the  youngest,  and  his  purchase  money.  And  he  did 
according  to  the  word  which  Joseph  had  spoken. 

3  “Tinkling ”  or  “ringing.” 


XLIV.]  ON  GENESIS.  313 

The  morning  lightened,  and  the  men  were  sent  away, 
they  and  their  asses.  They  had  not  gone  far  from  the 
city,  when  Joseph  said  to  Menasheh  whom  he  had 
appointed  the  intendant  of  his  house,  Arise,  follow  after 
the  men,  overtake  them  and  say  to  them.  Why  have  ye 
returned  evil  for  good  ?  Is  it  not  that  from  which  my 
lord  drinketh,  and  by  which  divining  he  divineth  ? 
That  which  you  have  done  is  evil.  [Jerusalem.  By 
which  divining  he  divineth.]  And  he  overtook  them, 
and  spake  with  them  all  these  words. 

They  said  to  him,  Why  does  my  lord  speak  words 
like  these  ?  Par  be  it  from  thy  servants  to  do  such  a 
thing.  Behold,  the  money  which  we  found  in  the 
mouth  of  our  bags  we  brought  to  thee  again  from  the 
land  of  Kenaan;  how  then  should  we  steal  from  thy 
lord's  house  vessels  of  silver,  or  vessels  of  gold  ?  With 
whomsoever  of  thy  servants  it  shall  be  found,  let  him 
be  guilty  of  death,  and  we  also  will  be  slaves  of  thy 
lord.  And  he  said,  According  to  your  words  let  it  be. 
With  whomsoever  it  is  found  he  shall  be  my  slave,  but 
you  shall  be  innocent. 

And  they  made  haste,  and  brought  down  each  man 
his  sack  upon  the  ground,  and  every  man  opened  his 
sack.  And  he  searched,  beginning  with  Beuben,  and 
ending  with  Benjamin.  And  the  cup  was  found  in 
Benjamin's  sack.  And  they  rent  their  clothes;  but 
the  strength  of  fortitude  was  given  to  them  ;  and  they 
laded  every  man  his  ass,  and  returned  to  the  city. 

And  Jehuda  and  his  brethren  entered  into  Joseph's 
house.  He  was  yet  there ;  and  they  fell  before  him  on 
the  ground. 

And  Joseph  said  to  them.  What  deed  is  this  that 
you  have  done  ?  Could  you  not  know  that  a  man  like 
me  divining  can  divine  ?  And  Jehuda  said  to  him, 
What  shall  we  say  to  my  lord  concerning  the  former 

p 


314  TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CIIAP. 

money,  and  what  concerning  the  latter  money  ?  and  how 
shall  we  be  acquitted  concerning  the  cup?  From 
before  the  Lord  there  is  sin  found  upon  thy  servants. 
Behold,  we  are  my  lord's  servants,  and  he  in  whose 
hand  the  chalice  hath  been  found.  But  he  said.  Far 
be  it  from  me  to  do  thus ;  the  man  in  whose  hand  the 
chalice  hath  been  found  shall  be  my  slave;  but  you,  go 
you  up  in  peace  to  your  father. 


SECTION  XI. 

VAYIGGASH. 

And  Jehuda  came  near  to  him  and  said,  In  implor¬ 
ing  my  lord,  let  thy  servant,  I  implore,  speak  a  word 
in  the  hearing  of  my  lord,  and  let  not  thy  anger  grow 
strong  against  thy  servant ;  for  at  the  hour  that  we 
came  to  thee  thou  didst  say  to  us,  I  fear  before  the 
Lord ;  and  now  thy  judgments  are  rendered  like  (the 
judgments)  of  a  prince  of  Pharoh.  My  lord  asked  his 
servants,  saying,  Have  you  a  father  or  a  brother  ? 

[Jerusalem.  And  Jehuda  came  near  him,  and  said, 
In  beseeching  thee,  my  lord,  let  thy  servant  now  speak 
a  word  in  the  hearing  of  my  lord,  and  let  not  thy  anger 
be  strong  against  thy  servant ;  for  at  the  first  time  we 
came  down  to  thee  into  Mizraim  didst  thou  not  tell  us, 
I  fear  before  the  Lord  ?  And  now  thy  judgments  are 
returned  like  the  judgments  of  Pharoh  thy  lord,  by 
whom  thou  adjurest.  Yet  I  am  honourable  as  thou 
art,  and  my  father  is  honourable  as  Pharoh  thy  lord  is, 
by  whom  thou  dost  adjure.  Can  I  not  swear  by  the 
life  of  the  head  of  my  father,  and  not  he  ?  For  if  I 


XLIV.]  ON  GENESIS.  315 

draw  my  sword  from  within  its  sheath,  I  would  not 
return  it  till  I  had  filled  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  with 
the  slain ;  to  its  sheath  I  would  not  return  it,  till  I 
had  made  all  Mizraim  desolate  of  inhabitants,  beginning 
with  thyself,  and  ending  with  Pharoh  thy  lord,  were  it 
not  against  the  will  of  my  father.  Or,  hath  it  not 
been  heard  by  thee,  or  not  told  thee,  what  my  two 
brothers  Shimeon  and  Levi  did,  who  went  up  against 
the  town  of  Shekem  while  they  were  dwelling  in 
security,  and  killed  every  male  by  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  because  they  had  corrupted  Dinah  our  sister, 
who  hath  not  been  numbered  in  the  tribes,  nor  hath 
portion  or  inheritance  with  us  in  the  dividing  of  the 
land  ?  By  how  much  more  then  (shall  it  be  done)  for 
Benjamin  our  brother,  who  is  numbered  with  us  among 
the  tribes,  and  who  hath  portion  and  inheritahce  with 
us  in  the  dividing  of  the  land  ?  And  my  force  is  more 
unyielding  than  theirs,  because  I  have  become  the 
sponsor  for  the  youth  at  the  hands  of  my  father,  saying, 
If  I  bring  him  not  to  thee,  and  set  him  before  thee,  I 
will  be  guilty  with  thee  and  be  removed  from  thy  salu¬ 
tation  all  the  days.  Hast  thou  not  heard,  or  hath  it 
not  been  told  thee,  that  in  the  land  of  Kenaan  we  are 
kings  and  princes,  as  thou  art  ? 

[19.  When  Joseph,  the  beloved  and  honourable,  saw 
that  the  strength  of  Jehuda  his  brother  had  risen  up, 
and  that  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  came  forth,  and  that 
they  rent  their  garments,  in  that  hour  beckoned  Joseph 
to  Menasheh  his  first-born,  and  stamped  with  his  shoe ; 
and  all  Joseph's  palace  trembled.  In  that  hour  Jehuda 
said,  If  it  had  not  been  on  the  side  of  the  house  of  my 
father,  it  would  not  have  been  done  so.  Then  began 
Jehuda  to  be  milder  in  his  words,  and  he  said,  My  lord 
asked  his  servants,  saying,  Have  you  a  father,  or  a 
brother  ?] 

p  2 


316  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  we  told  my  lord,  We  have  an  aged  father,  and  a 
son  of  his  old  age,  a  little  one,  whose  brother  is  dead, 
and  he  only  remains  of  his  mother ;  and  his  father  on 
that  account  loveth  him.  And  thou  saidst  to  thy 
servants,  Bring  him  down  to  me,  and  I  will  set  mine 
eyes  on  him  for  good.  [Jerusalem.  Mine  eyes  shall 
be  gracious  upon  him.]  But  we  told  my  lord,  The 
youth  cannot  leave  his  father :  for  if  he  leave  his  father, 
he  will  die.  Yet  thou  saidst  to  thy  servants,  If  you 
bring  not  your  youngest  brother  down,  you  shall  not 
again  see  my  face.  And  it  was  when  we  went  up  to 
thy  servant  our  father,  we  related  to  him  my  lord's 
words.  And  our  father  said  to  us,  Return,  and  buy  us 
a  little  corn.  But  we  told  him,  We  cannot  go  down  if 
our  youngest  brother  be  not  with  us  when  we  go  down, 
for  we  shall  not  be  able  to  see  the  man's  face,  unless 
our  youngest  brother  be  with  us.  And  thy  servant  our 
father  said  to  us,  You  know  that  my  wife  bare  me  two 
sons.  One  went  forth  from  me,  and  I  said,  Surely  he 
is  dead,  and  I  have  not  beheld  him  since ;  and  you  will 
now  take  this  other  from  before  me  ;  and  if  death  hap¬ 
pen  to  him,  you  will  bring  down  mine  age  with  mourning 
to  the  house  of  the  grave.  Therefore  thy  servant 
became  surety  for  the  youth  with  my  father,  saying,  If 
I  restore  him  not  to  thee,  let  me  be  guilty  before  my 
father  all  the  days.  And  now  let  thy  servant  remain,  I 
beseech  thee,  as  the  slave  of  my  lord,  instead  of  the 
young  man ;  and  let  the  young  man  go  up  with  his 
brothers.  Por  how  can  I  go  up  to  my  father,  and  the 
young  man  be  not  with  us  ? — lest  I  behold  the  evil  that 
will  strike  my  father  through  ! 

XLY.  And  Joseph  could  not  endure  not  to  (be  able  to) 
weep,  on  account  of  all  who  stood  before  him.  And  he 
said,  Let  every  man  go  out  from  me:  and  no  one  stood  with 
him,  while  Joseph  made  himself  known  to  his  brothers. 


OX  GENESIS. 


317 


XLV.] 

And  he  lifted  up  his  voice  with  weeping ;  and  the 
Mizraee  heard,  and  a  man  of  the  house  of  Pharoh 
heard. 

And  Joseph  said  to  his  brothers,  I  am  Joseph  !  Is 
my  father  yet  alive  ? 

But  his  brothers  could  not  answer  him  a  word ;  for 
they  were  troubled  before  him. 

And  Joseph  said  to  his  brothers,  Come  near,  I  pray, 
and  examine  me.  And  they  came  near.  And  he  said 
to  them,  I  am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  you  sold 
into  Mizraim.  Now,  therefore,  be  not  grieved,  nor 
consider  it  a  hard  thing 4  that  you  sold  me  hither ;  for 
the  Lord  sent  me  hither  before  you  to  preserve  you. 
"For  these  two  years  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  midst 
of  the  land,  and  there  are  yet  five  years  in  which  there 
will  be  neither  ploughing  nor  harvest.  But  the  Lord 
sent  me  before  you  to  set  you  a  remnant  in  the  land, 
and  to  preserve  you  by  a  great  deliverance. 

And  now,  it  was  not  you  who  sent  me  hither,  but  it 
was  from  before  the  Lord  that  the  thing  was  occasioned, 
that  He  might  set  me  for  a  prince  unto  Pharoh,  a  chief 
over  his  house,  and  a  ruler  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim. 
Make  haste,  and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  to  him, 
Thus  saith  thy  son  Joseph,  The  Lord  hath  set  me  for 
a  chief  over  all  the  Mizraee ;  come  down  to  me,  delay 
not,  and  thou  shalt  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  and  be 
near  me,  thou,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  sons'  children,  thy 
sheep,  thy  oxen,  and  all  that  thou  hast.  And  I  will 
sustain  you  there,  for  there  are  yet  five  years  of  famine, 
lest  thou,  and  the  men  of  thy  house,  and  all  that  thou 
hast  be  wasted  away.  And,  behold,  your  eyes  see,  and 
the  eyes  of  my  brother  Benjamin,  that  my  mouth 
speaketh  with  you  in  the  language  of  the  house  of 
holiness.  And  you  must  show  my  father  all  the  honour 
4  “  Let  it  not  be  hard  in  your  eyes.” 


318  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

I  have  in  Mizraim,  and  all  my  greatness  which  you  see, 
and  hasten  my  father  hither. 

And  he  bowed  himself  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's 
neck,  and  wept ;  because  it  would  be  that  the  house  of 
holiness  should  be  builded  in  the  portion  of  Benjamin, 
and  be  twice  destroyed :  and  Benjamin  wept  upon 
Joseph's  neck,  because  he  saw  that  the  tabernacle  of 
Shiloh  would  be  in  the  portion  of  Joseph  and  be 
destroyed.  And  he  kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept 
over  them,  because  he  saw  that  the  sons  of  his  people 
would  be  brought  into  bondage.  And  afterward  his 
brethren  discoursed  with  him. 

And  a  voice  was  heard  in  the  royal  house  of  Pharoh, 
saying,  The  brothers  of  Joseph  are  come.  And  the 
thing  was  pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  Pharoh,  and  in  the 
eyes  of  his  servants.  And  he  said  to  Joseph,  Tell  thy 
brethren,  Do  this.  Lade  your  beasts,  and  go,  carry 
into  the  land  of  Kenaan ;  and  take  your  father  and  the 
men  of  your  house,  and  come  to  me,  and  I  will  give 
you  the  best  of  what  is  desirable  in  the  land  of  Miz- 
raim,  and  you  shall  eat  the  fat  of  the  land.  And  thou 
Joseph  shalt  appoint  for  the  honour  of  thy  father: 
therefore  tell  thy  brethren,  Do  this.  Take  with  you 
from  the  land  of  Mizraim  waggons  drawn  by  oxen,  in 
which  to  carry  your  children  and  your  wives,  and  bring 
your  father,  and  come.  And  your  eyes  must  not  look 
wistfully  on  your  utensils :  for  the  best  of  what  is  desir¬ 
able  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  is  yours. 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  did  so.  And  Joseph  gave 
them  waggons  according  to  the  word  of  Pharoh,  and  he 
furnished  them  with  provision  for  the  way.  And  to 
each  of  them  he  gave  vestments  and  apparel ;  but  to 
Benjamin  he  gave  three  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and 
five  vestments  for  apparel.  And  these  presents  he  sent 
to  his  father ;  ten  asses  laden  with  wine  and  the  good 


XLVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  319 

things  of  Mizraim,  and  ten  she  asses  laden  with  corn, 
and  bread,  and  provisions  for  his  father's  journey.  And 
he  dismissed  his  brothers  to  go,  and  said  to  them,  Do 
not  contend  about  my  having  been  sold,  lest  you  quarrel 
in  passing  along  the  way. 

And  they  went  up  from  Mizraim,  and  came  to  the 
land  of  Kenaan  unto  Jakob  their  father.  And  they 
declared  to  him,  saying,  Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and  is  ruler 
over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  But  his  heart  was 
divided,  because  he  did  not  believe  them.  [Jerusalem. 
And  his  heart  was  divided.]  And  they  told  him  all  the 
words  of  Joseph  which  he  had  spoken  to  them.  And 
when  he  saw  the  waggons  which  Joseph  had  sent  to 
bring  him,  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy  which  had  gone  up 
from  him  at  the  time  that  Joseph  was  sold,  returning, 
rested  upon  Jakob  their  father.  And  Israel  said.  Many 
benefits  hath  the  Lord  wrought  for  me ;  He  delivered 
me  from  the  hand  of  Esau  and  from  the  hand  of  Laban, 
and  from  the  hands  of  the  Kenaanites  who  pursued  me ; 
and  many  consolations  have  I  seen  and  have  expected  to 
see;  but  this  I  had  not  expected,  that  Joseph  my  son 
should  yet  be  alive.  I  will  go  now,  and  behold  him 
before  I  die.  [Jerusalem.  And  Israel  said.  Many 
benefits  and  consolations  I  had  hoped  to  see ;  but  this  I 
had  not  expected,  that,  behold,  Joseph  my  son  should 
be  yet  alive.  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I  die.] 

XLYI.  And  Israel  journeyed  with  all  that  he  had, 
and  came  to  Beersheba,  and  offered  sacrifices  to  the  God 
of  his  father  Izhak.  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Israel  in  a 
prophecy  of  the  night,  and  said,  Jakob!  and  he  said, 
Behold  me.  And  He  said,  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy 
father ;  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Mizraim  on  account  of 
the  servitude  I  have  decreed  with  Abraham  :  for  a  great 
people  will  I  make  thee  there.  I  am  He  who  in  My 
Word  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Mizraim;  I  will 


320  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

regard  the  affliction  of  thy  children,  and  My  Word  shall 
bring  thee  up  from  thence,  and  cause  thy  children  to 
come  up;  but  Joseph  shall  lay  his  hand  upon  thine 
eyes. 

And  Jakob  arose  from  Beer  de  Sheba;  and  the  sons 
of  Israel  journeyed,  with  J akob  their  father,  their  little 
ones,  and  their  wives,  in  the  waggons  which  Pharoh 
had  sent  to  carry  him.  They  took  their  possessions 
and  the  substance  which  they  had  gotten  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  and  came  into  Mizraim,  Jakob  and  all  his  sons 
with  him,  his  sons  and  his  sons'  children  with  him,  his 
daughters,  and  the  daughters  of  his  sons ;  and  all  his 
seed  came  with  him  to  Mizraim. 

These  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel  who  came 
into  Mizraim.  Jakob  and  his  sons.  The  firstborn  of 
Jakob,  Reuben.  And  the  sons  of  Reuben,  Hanok  and 
Phallu,  Pletsron  and  Karmi.  The  sons  of  Shimeon, 
Jemuel  and  Jamin,  Ochad,  Jakin,  Sochar,  and  Shaul : 
he  is  Zimri,  who  made  the  work  of  the  Kenaanites  in 
Shittim.  And  the  sons  of  Levi,  Gershon,  Kehath,  and 
Merari.  The  sons  of  Jehuda,  Er,  Onan,  Shelah, 
Pherets,  and  Zarach.  But  Er  and  Onan  died,  on 
account  of  their  evil  work  in  the  land  of  Kenaan ;  and 
Shelah  and  Zarach  had  no  children  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan ;  but  the  sons  of  Pherets  who  went  down  to 
Mizraim  were  Hetsron  and  Chamul.  The  sons  of 
Issakar,  sages,  and  masters  of  reasoning,  their  names 
were  Tola,  Phua,  Job,  and  Shimron.  The  sons  of  Zebu- 
Ion,  merchants,  masters  of  commerce  nourishing  their 
brethren,  the  sons  of  Issakar,  and  receiving  a  reward 
like  theirs;  and  their  names  were  Sered,  Elon,  and 
Jahleel.  These  are  the  sons  of  Leah,  whom  she  bare 
unto  Jakob  in  Padan  Aram,  with  Dinah  his  daughter; 
all  the  souls  of  his  sons  and  his  daughter,  thirty  and 
three.  And  the  children  of  Gad,  Seplion,  Haggi,  Suni, 


XLVI.]  ON  GENESIS.  r  $21 

Ezbon,  Eri,  Arodi,  and  Areli.  The  children  of  Asher, 
Yimna,  Yishvah,  Yishvi,  Beriah,  and  Serach  their  sister, 
who  was  carried  away  while  alive  into  the  Garden  (of 
Eden),  because  she  had  announced  to  Jakob  that  Joseph 
still  lived.  It  was  she  who  saved  the  inhabitants  of 
(the  city)  Abel  from  the  judgment  of  death,  in  the  days 
of  Joab.  The  sons  of  Beriah  who  went  down  into 
Mizraim  were  Heber  and  Malkiel.  These  are  the 
children  of  Zilpha,  whom  Laban  gave  to  Leah  his 
daughter,  and  she  bare  them  to  Jakob;  sixteen  souls. 
The  sons  of  Rahel,  wife  of  Jakob,  Joseph  and  Benjamin. 
And  to  Joseph  were  born  two  sons  in  the  land  of 
Mizraim,  whom  Asenath,  the  daughter  of  Dinah,  edu¬ 
cated  in  the  house  of  Potiphera  prince  of  Tanis,  bare, — 
Menasheh  and  Ephraim.  The  sons  of  Benjamin,  ten ; 
and  their  names,  according  to  the  interpretation  of 
Joseph  his  brother :  Bela,5  who  was  swallowed  up 
from  him ;  Beker,  who  was  the  chosen  of  his  mother ; 
Eshbal,  who  went  into  captivity ;  Gera,  who  became  a 
sojourner  in  a  foreign  land ;  Naaman,  who  was  pleasant 
and  honourable ;  Achi,  who  had  a  (twin)  brother,  the 
son  of  his  mother;  Rosh,  who  was  a  chief  in  his  father’s 
house;  Muppim,  who  was  sold  into  Muph ;  Chuppim, 
because  at  the  time  that  he  was  separated  from  him  he 
was  the  son  of  eighteen  years  and  was  eligible  for  . 
marriage  ( Chupha ,  thalamus  nuptialis') ;  andAred,  who 
descended  into  Mizraim.  These  are  the  children  of 
Rahel  who  were  born  unto  Jakob,  all  the  souls  fourteen. 
The  sons  of  Dan,  able  men  (or  armed)  and  merchants, 
of  whose  numbers  there  is  no  end  (or  sum).  And  the 
sons  of  Naphtali,  Jakzeel,  Guni,  Jetser,  and  Shillem. 
These  are  the  sons  of  Bilhah  whom  Laban  gave  to 
Rahel  his  daughter;  and  she  bare  them  unto  Jakob,  all 
the  souls  seven.  All  the  souls  which  went  into 
5  The  roots  of  these  names  have  the  meanings  here  assigned. 

p  5 


522  TAR  GUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Mizraim  with  Jakob  which  had  come  forth  from  his 
thigh ;  besides  the  wives  of  Jakob's  sons,  all  the  souh 
were  sixty  and  six.  But  the  sons  of  Joseph  who  were 
born  to  him  in  Mizraim,  were  two  souls ;  and  Joseph 
who  was  in  Mizraim,  and  Jokebed  the  daughter  of  Levi, 
who  w’as  born  among  the  hills  in  their  journey  to 
Mizraim, — the  sum  of  all  the  souls  of  the  house  of 
Jakob  who  came  into  Mizraim,  seventy. 

And  he  sent  Jehnda  before  him  to  Joseph  to  indicate 
the  way  before  him,  to  subdue  the  pillars  of  the  earth, 
and  to  provide  him  a  house  of  dwelling  in  Goshena. 
And  they  came  to  the  land  of  Goshen.  [Jerusalem. 
To  prepare  him  a  place  of  habitation  in  Goshena.] 

And  Joseph  made  ready  his  chariot,  and  went  up  to 
meet  Israel  his  father  in  Goshen ;  and  his  father,  before 
he  recognised  him,  worshipped  him,  and  thus  became 
liable  to  be  shortened  (or  cut  off)  in  his  years.  And  he 
wondered,  and  beheld  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck,  and 
wept  still  upon  his  neck,  because  he  had  worshipped 
him.  And  Israel  said  to  Joseph,  If  at  this  time  I  die, 
I  am  comforted :  for  with  the  death  that  the  righteous 
die  shall  I  die,  after  seeing  thy  face,  because  thou  art 
yet  alive. 

And  Joseph  said  to  his  brethren  and  his  father's 
house,  I  will  go  up  and  tell  Pharoh,  and  say  to  him,  My 
brethren  and  my  father's  house  from  the  land  of  Kenaan 
have  come  to  me.  The  men  are  pastors  of  sheep ;  for 
they  are  men,  the  masters  of  flocks ;  and  their  sheep  and 
oxen  and  all  which  they  have,  they  have  brought.  And 
it  must  be,  when  Pharoh  calleth  you,  and  saith,  Tell  me, 
what  is  your  work  ?  you  must  say,  Thy  servants  have 
been  masters  of  flocks  from  our  youth  until  now :  that 
you  may  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen;  because  the 
Mizraee  reject 6  all  shepherds. 

6  Or,  “  keep  at  a  distance  from.” 


XLVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  323 

XLYII.  And  Joseph  came  and  informed  Pharoh, 
and  said,  My  father  and  my  brethren,  with  their  sheep 
and  oxen  and  all  that  they  have,  are  come  from  the  land 
of  Kenaan,  and,  behold,  they  are  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 
And  from  the  extreme  of  his  brethren  he  took  five  men, 
Zebulon,  Dan,  Naphtali,  Gad,  and  Asher,  and  presented 
them  before  Pharoh.  And  Pharoh  said  to  Josephus 
brethren,  What  is  your  work  ?  And  they  said  to  Pharoh, 
Thy  servants  are  pastors  of  sheep,  both  we  and  our 
fathers.  And  they  said  to  Pharoh,  To  dwell  in  the  land 
are  we  come,  because  there  is  no  place  of  pasture  for 
thy  servants'  sheep,  for  the  famine  hath  prevailed  in  the 
land  of  Kenaan ;  let  thy  servants  therefore  now  dwell 
in  the  land  of  Goshen. 

And  Pharoh  spake  to  Joseph,  saying,  Thy  father  and 
thy  brethren  have  come  to  thee.  The  land  of  Mizraim 
is  before  thee.  In  the  fairest  part  of  the  land  make 
thy  father  and  thy  brethren  to  dwell :  let  them  dwell  in 
the  land  of  Goshen.  And  if  thou  know  any  among 
them  men  of  ability,  appoint  them  masters  over  my 
flocks. 

And  Joseph  brought  Jakob  his  father,  and  presented 
him  before  Pharoh.  And  Jakob  blessed  Pharoh,  and 
said,  May  it  please  the  Almighty  that  the  waters  of 
Kilos  may  be  replenished,  and  may  the  famine  pass 
away  from  the  world  in  thy  days  !  And  Pharoh  said  to 
Jakob,  How  many  are  the  days  of  the  years  of  thy  life  ? 
And  Jakob  answered  Pharoh,  The  days  of  the  years  of 
my  pilgrimage  are  an  hundred  and  thirty  years.  Pew 
and  evil  have  been  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life ;  for 
in  my  youth  I  fled  before  Esau  my  brother,  and  so¬ 
journed  in  a  land  not  my  own ;  and  now  in  the  time 
of  my  old  age  have  I  come  down  to  sojourn  here.  And 
my  days  have  not  reached  the  days  of  the  years  of  the 
life  of  my  fathers  in  the  days  of  their  pilgrimage.  And 


324  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Jakob  blessed  Pharoh,  and  went  out  from  before 
Pliarob. 

And  Joseph  brought  his  father  and  brethren  to  dwell, 
and  gave  them  a  possession  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  in  a 
goodly  part  of  the  country,  in  the  country  of  Pilusin,  as 
Pharoh  had  commanded.  [Jerusalem.  Pelusim.]  And 
Joseph  sustained  his  father  and  his  brethren  and  all  his 
father’s  house  with  bread,  according  to  the  need  of  their 
families.  But  there  was  no  bread  (grown)  in  all  the 
land,  because  the  famine  prevailed  greatly,  and  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land  of  Mizraim  failed,  and  the 
dwellers  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  in  presence  of  the  famine. 
And  Joseph  collected  all  the  money  which  was  found 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  for 
the  corn  which  he  sold  to  them ;  and  Joseph  brought 
the  money  into  the  treasure-house  of  Pharoh.  And  the 
money  was  finished  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  from 
the  land  of  Kenaan;  and  the  Mizraee  came  to  Joseph, 
saying,  Give  us  bread ;  why  should  we  die  before  thee  ? 
for  all  our  money  is  finished.  [Jerusalem.  And  hath 
failed.]  And  Joseph  said,  Give  your  flocks,  and  for 
your  flocks  I  will  give  you  provisions,  if  the  money  be 
consumed.  And  they  brought  their  cattle  to  Joseph, 
and  Joseph  gave  them  bread  for  their  horses,  and  for 
the  flocks  of  sheep,  the  oxen,  and  the  asses;  and  he 
sustained  them  with  bread  for  all  their  flocks  for  that 
year.  And  that  year  being  ended,  all  the  Mizraee  came 
to  him,  in  the  second  year,  and  said  to  him,  We  will 
not  hide  it  from  my  lord,  that  the  money  is  finished,  and 
my  lord  hath  the  flocks  of  cattle  :  there  is  nothing  left 
us  before  my  lord  except  our  bodies,  and  our  land.  Why 
should  we  die,  and  thine  eye  seeing  (it),  both  we  and 
our  land  also  ?  Buy  us,  and  our  land,  for  bread,  and 
we  and  our  land  will  be  servants  of  Pharoh,  and  give 
the  seed  of  corn,  that  we  may  live  and  not  die,  and  the 


XLVII.]  ON  GENESIS.  325 

land  be  not  desolated.  And  Joseph  bought  all  the  land 
of  Mizraim  for  Pharoh ;  for  the  Mizraee  sold  every  man 
his  portion,  because  the  famine  prevailed  over  them, 
and  the  land  became  the  property  of  Pharoh.  And  the 
people  of  a  province  he  removed  to  a  city,  and  the 
people  of  the  city  he  removed  to  a  province,  for  the 
sake  of  the  brethren  of  Joseph,  that  they  might  not  be 
called  wanderers :  therefore  he  made  them  migrate  from 
one  end  of  Mizraim  to  the  other.  [Jerusalem.  And 
the  people  who  were  dwelling  in  the  province  he 
removed  into  the  city ;  and  the  people  who  dwelt  in  the 
city  he  removed  into  the  province,  that  they  might  not 
deride  the  sons  of  Jakob,  and  call  them  Galilean 
(wandering)  guests.]  Only  the  land  of  the  priests  he 
bought  not,  because  they  had  considered  him  innocent 
at  the  time  when  his  master  was  seeking  to  put  him  to 
death,  and  they  had  delivered  him  from  the  judgment 
of  death  :  and  besides  he  had  said  that  a  portion  should 
be  given  them  from  Pharoh.  So  they  ate  the  portion 
which  Pharoh  gave  them,  and  sold  not  their  land. 

And  Joseph  said  to  the  people,  Behold,  I  have  this 
day  bought  you  and  your  land  for  Pharoh :  behold,  (I 
give)  you  seed  corn  to  sow  the  land ;  and  at  the  time  of 
the  ingathering  of  your  produce  you  shall  give  the  fifth 
part  to  Pharoh,  and  four  parts  shall  be  yours,  for  the 
seeding  of  your  land,  and  for  food  and  for  provision  for 
your  houses  and  little  ones.  And  they  said,  Thou  hast 
preserved  us  :  let  us  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  my  lord, 
and  we  will  be  PharolPs  servants.  And  Joseph 
established  it  a  law  unto  this  day  over  the  land  of 
Mizraim  to  take  to  Pharoh  a  fifth  part  of  the  produce, 
except  only  the  land  of  the  priests  which  was  not 
PharolPs. 

And  Israel  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  they 
built  there  schools  and  mansions  in  the  land  of  Goshen, 


326  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  inherited  therein  fields  and  vineyards ;  and  they 
increased  and  multiplied  greatly. 


SECTION  XII. 

VAYECHI. 

And  Jakob  lived  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  seventeen 
years.  And  the  sum  of  the  days  of  Jakob,  of  the  days 
of  his  life,  was  a  hundred  and  forty  and  seven  years. 
And  the  days  of  Israel  drew  near  to  die.  And  he 
called  to  his  son,  to  Joseph,  and  said  to  him,  If  now  I 
have  found  favour  before  thee,  put  thy  hand  on  the 
place  of  my  circumcision,  and  deal  with  me  in  goodness 
and  truth,  That  thou  wilt  not  bury  me  in  Mizraim,  that  I 
may  sleep  with  my  fathers,  and  thou  mayest  carry  me 
from  Mizraim,  and  bury  me  in  their  sepulchre.  But 
because  he  was  his  son  he  did  not  (so)  put  his  hand ;  but 
said,  I  will  do  according  to  thy  word.  And  he  said,  Swear 
to  me:  and  he  sware  to  him.  And  immediately  the 
Glory  of  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  him, 
and  Israel  worshipped  upon  the  pillow7  of  the  bed. 
[ J ertjsalem.  And  Israel  praised  upon  the  head  of  the 
couch.] 

XLVIII.  And  after  these  things  it  was  told  Joseph, 
Behold,  thy  father  is  lying  ill.  And  he  took  his  two 
sons  with  him,  Menasheh  and  Ephraim.  And  it  was 
announced  to  Jakob,  saying,  Behold,  thy  son  Joseph  hath 
come  to  thee  :  and  Israel  strengthened  himself,  and  sat 
upon  the  bed. 


7  Or,  “hea<L! 


xlviii.]  on  genesis.  327 

And  Jakob  said  to  Joseph  :  El  Shadai  revealed  Him¬ 
self  to  me  at  Luz,  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  blessed 
me.  And  He  said  to  me,  Behold,  I  will  increase  thee 
and  multiply  thee,  and  make  thee  an  assemblage  of 
tribes,  and  will  give  this  land  to  thy  sons  after  thee 
for  an  everlasting  inheritance.  And  now,  thy  two  sons 
who  have  been  born  to  thee  in  the  land  of  Mizraim 
before  I  came  to  thee  into  Mizraim  are  mine ;  Ephraim 
and  Menasheh  as  Reuben  and  Shimeon  shall  be 
reckoned  unto  me.  And  thy  children  whom  thou 
mayest  beget  after  them  shall  be  thine ;  by  the  name 
of  their  brethren  shall  they  be  called  in  their  inheritance. 
And  I  beseech  thee  to  bury  me  with  my  fathers.  Rahel 
died  by  me  suddenly  in  the  land  of  Kenaan,  while  there 
was  yet  much  ground  to  come  to  Ephrath;  nor  could  I 
carry  her  to  bury  her  in  the  Double  Cave,  but  I  buried 
her  there,  in  the  way  of  Ephrath  which  is  Bethlechem. 

And  Israel  looked  at  the  sons  of  Joseph  and  said, 
Erom  whom  are  these  born  to  thee  ?  And  Joseph 
answered  his  father,  They  are  my  sons  which  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  gave  me  according  to  this  writing,  according 
to  which  I  took  Asenath  the  daughter  of  Dinah  thy 
daughter  to  be  my  wife. 

And  he  said,  Bring  them  now  near  to  me,  and  I  will 
bless  them.  But  Israel's  eyes  were  heavy  from  age, 
and  he  could  not  see.  And  he  brought  them  to  him, 
and  he  kissed  them  and  embraced  them.  And  Israel 
said  to  J oseph,  To  see  thy  face  I  had  not  reckoned,  but, 
behold,  the  Lord  hath  also  showed  me  thy  sons.  And 
Joseph  brought  them  out  from  (between)  his  knees,  and 
worshipped  on  his  face  upon  the  ground.  And  Joseph 
took  both  of  them,  Ephraim  on  his  right  side,  which  was 
Israel's  left,  and  Menasheh  on  his  left  side,  which  was 
Israel's  right,  and  brought  them  to  him. 

And  Israel  stretched  out  his  right  hand  and  laid  it 


328  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

upon  the  head  of  Ephraim,  though  he  was  the 
younger ;  and  his  left  hand  upon  the  head  of  Menasheh, 
altering  his  hands,  for  Menasheh  was  the  firstborn. 
[Jerusalem.  He  altered  his  hands.]  And  he  blessed 
Joseph,  and  said : 

The  Lord,  before  whom  my  fathers,  Abraham  and 
Izhak,  did  serve ;  the  Lord  who  hath  fed  me  since  I 
have  been  unto  this  day,  be  pleased  that  the  angel 
whom  thou  didst  ordain  for  me,  to  redeem  me  from  all 
evil,  may  bless  the  children ;  and  let  my  name  be 
called  upon  them,  and  the  names  of  my  fathers  Abra¬ 
ham  and  Izhak.  And  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea  in 
multiplying  are  multiplied  in  the  sea,  so  may  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Joseph  be  multiplied  abundantly  in  the  midst 
of  the  earth. 

And  Joseph  saw  that  his  father  placed  his  right  hand 
upon  Ephraim's  head  ;  and  it  was  evil  before  him,  and 
he  uplifted  his  father's  hand  to  remove  it  from  off  the 
head  of  Ephraim,  that  it  might  rest  on  the  head  of 
Menasheh.  And  Joseph  said  to  his  father,  Not  so, 
my  father,  for  this  is  the  firstborn  ;  lay  thy  right  hand 
on  his  head.  But  his  father  was  not  willing,  and  said, 
I  know,  my  son,  I  know  that  he  is  the  firstborn,  and 
also  that  he  will  be  a  great  people,  and  will  also  be 
multiplied ;  yet  will  his  younger  brother  be  greater 
than  he,  and  his  sons  be  greater  among  the  nations. 
And  he  blessed  them  in  that  day,  saying,  In  thee, 
Joseph  my  son,  shall  the  house  of  Israel  bless  their 
infants  in  the  day  of  their  circumcision,  saying,  The 
Lord  set  thee  as  Ephraim  and  as  Menasheh.  And  in 
the  numbering  of  the  tribes  the  prince  of  Ephraim  shall 
be  numbered  before  the  prince  of  Menasheh.  And  he 
appointed  that  Ephraim  should  be  before  Menasheh. 

And  Israel  said  to  Joseph,  Behold,  my  end  cometh 
to  die.  But  the  Word  of  the  Lord  shall-  be  your 


ON  GENESIS. 


329 


XLIX.] 

Helper,  and  restore  you  to  the  land  of  your  fathers ; 
and  I,  behold,  I  have  given  to  thee  the  city  of  Shekem, 
one  portion  for  a  gift  above  thy  brethren,  which  I  took 
from  the  hand  of  the  Amoraee  at  the  time  that  you 
went  into  the  midst  of  it,  and  I  arose  and  helped  you 
with  my  sword  and  with  my  bow.  [ Jehus alem.  And 
I,  behold,  I  have  given  thee  one  portion  above  thy 
brethren,  the  robe  of  the  first  Adam.  Abraham  the 
father  of  my  father  took  it  from  the  hands  of  Nimrod 
the  Wicked,  and  gave  it  to  Izhak  my  father ;  and 
Izhak  my  father  gave  it  to  Esau,  and  I  took  it  from 
the  hands  of  Esau  my  brother,  not  with  my  sword  nor 
with  my  bow,  but  through  my  righteousness  and  my 
good  works.] 

XLIX.  And  Jakob  called  his  sons  and  said  to  them. 
Purify  yourselves  from  uncleanness,  and  I  will  show 
you  the  hidden  mysteries,  the  ends  concealed,  the 
recompense  of  reward  for  the  righteous,  the  retribution 
of  the  wicked,  and  the  bower  of  Eden,  what  it  is.  And 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  gathered  themselves  together 
around  the  golden  bed  whereon  he  reclined,  and  where 
was  revealed  to  him  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord,  (though) 
the  end  for  which  the  king  Meshiha  is  to  come  had 
been  concealed  from  him.  Then  said  he,  Come,  and  I 
will  declare  to  you  what  shall  befall  you  at  the  end  of 
the  days.  Gather  yourselves  together  and  hear,  ye  sons 
of  Jakob,  and  receive  instruction  from  Israel  your 
father. 

Reuben,  thou  art  my  firstborn,  the  beginning  of  the 
strength  of  my  generation,  and  the  chief  event  of  my 
thoughts.  To  thee  belonged  the  birthright,  and  the 
high  priesthood,  and  the  kingdom  :  but  because  thou 
hast  sinned,  my  son,  the  birthright  is  given  to  Joseph, 
and  the  kingdom  to  Jehuda,  and  the  priesthood  to 
Levi.  I  will  liken  thee  to  a  little  garden  in  the  midst 


330  TAKGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

of  which  there  enter  torrents  swift  and  strong,  which  it 
cannot  bear,  but  is  overwhelmed.  Be  repentant  then, 
Beuben  my  son,  for  thou  hast  sinned,  and  add  not ; 
that  wherein  thou  hast  sinned  it  may  be  forgiven  thee ; 
for  it  is  reckoned  to  thee  as  if  thou  wentest  in  to  have 
to  do  with  the  wife  of  thy  father  at  the  time  that  thou 
didst  confound  my  bed  upon  which  thou  wentest  up. 

Shimeon  and  Levi  are  brothers  of  the  womb ; 8 
their  thoughts  are  of  sharp  weapons  for  rapine.  In 
their  counsel  my  soul  hath  not  had  pleasure,  and  in 
their  gathering  against  Shekem  to  destroy  it  mine 
honour  was  not  united ;  for  in  their  anger  they  slew 
the  prince  and  his  ruler,  and  in  their  ill  will  they 
demolished  the  wall9  of  their  adversary.  And  Jakob 
said,  Accursed  was  the  town  of  Shekem  when  they 
entered  within  it  to  destroy  it  in  their  violent  wrath  ; 
and  their  hatred  against  Joseph,  for  it  was  relentless. 
If,  said  Jakob,  they  dwell  together,  no  king  nor  ruler 
may  stand  before  them.  Therefore  will  I  divide  the 
inheritance  of  the  sons  of  Shimeon  into  two  portions ; 
one  part  shall  come  to  them  out  of  the  inheritance  of 
the  sons  of  Jehuda,  and  one  part  from  among  the  rest 
of  the  tribes  of  Jakob;  and  the  tribe  of  Levi  I  will 
disperse  among  all  the  tribes  of  Israel. 

Jehuda,  thou  didst  make  confession  in  the  matter  of 
Tamar  :  therefore  shall  thy  brethren  confess 1  thee,  and 
shall  be  called  Jeliudain  from  thy  name.  Thy  hand 
shall  avenge  thee  of  thy  adversaries,  in  throwing  arrows 
upon  them  when  they  turn  their  backs  before  thee ;  and 
the  sons  of  thy  fathers  shall  come  before  thee  with 
salutations.  I  will  liken  thee,  my  son  Jehuda,  to  a 
whelp,  the  young  of  a  lion ;  for  from  the  killing  of 
Joseph  my  son  thou  didst  uplift  thy  soul,  and  from 

8  Acldn  telamin,  “f rat  res  uterini.” — Caste  L,  3903. 

9  Or,  “  destroyed  the  oxen.”  1  Or,  “  praise.” 


ON  GENESIS. 


331 


XLIX.] 

the  judgment  of  Tamar  thou  wast  free.  He  dwelleth 
quietly  and  in  strength,  as  a  lion ;  and  as  an  old  lion 
when  he  reposeth,  who  may  stir  him  up  ?  Kings  shall 
not  cease,  nor  rulers,  from  the  house  of  Jehuda,  nor 
sapherim  teaching  the  law  from  his  seed,  till  the  time 
that  the  King,  the  Meshiha,  shall  come,  the  youngest  of 
his  sons  ;  and  on  account  of  him  shall  the  peoples  flow 
together.  How  beauteous  is  the  King,  the  Meshiha 
who  will  arise  from  the  house  of  Jehuda !  He  hath 
girded  his  loins,  and  descended,  and  arrayed  the  battle 
against  his  adversaries,  slaying  kings  with  their  rulers ; 
neither  is  there  any  king  or  ruler  who  shall  stand 
before  him.  The  mountains  become  red  with  the  blood 
of  their  slain  ;  his  garments,  dipped  in  blood,  are  like  the 
outpressed  juice  of  grapes.  How  beautiful  are  the  eyes 
of  the  king  Meshiha,  as  the  pure  wine  !  He  cannot  look 
upon  what  is  unclean,  nor  on  the  shedding  of  the  blood 
of  the  innocent ;  and  his  teeth,  purer  than  milk,  cannot 
eat  that  which  is  stolen  or  torn;  and  therefore  his 
mountains  are  red  with  wine,  and  his  hills  white  with 
corn,  and  with  the  cotes  of  flocks. 

Zebulon  shall  dwell  upon  the  banks  of  the  sea,  and 
have  dominion  over  the  havens ;  he  will  surmount  the 
breakers  of  the  sea  with  ships,  and  his  border  will 
extend  unto  Zidon. 

Issakar  is  an  ass  in  the  law  ;  a  strong  tribe,  knowing 
the  order 3  of  the  times ;  and  he  lieth  down  between 
the  limits  of  his  brethren.  And  he  saw  the  rest  of  the 
world  to  come  thatjt  is  good,  and  the  portion  of  the 
land  of  Israel  that  it  is  pleasant;  therefore  bowed  he 
his  shoulders  to  labour  in  the  law,  and  unto  him  shall 
come  his  brethren  bearing  presents. 

Prom  the  house  of  Dan  there  is  to  arise  a  man  who 
will  judge  his  people  with  the  judgment  of  truth.  All 
2  Or,  “intention.” 


332  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  tribes  of  Israel  will  hearken  to  him  together.  A 
chosen  man  shall  arise  from  the  house  of  Dan,  like  the 
basilisk  which  lieth  at  the  dividing  of  the  way,  and  the 
serpent's  head  which  lurketh  by  the  way,  that  biteth 
the  horse  in  his  heel,  and  the  master  from  his  terror 
is  thrown  backward.  Even  thus  will  Shimshon  bar 
Manovach  slay  all  the  heroes  of  Philistia,  the  horsemen 
and  the  foot ;  he  will  hamstring  their  horses  and  hurl 
their  riders  backwards. 

When  Jakob  saw  Gideon  bar  Joash  and  Shimshon 
bar  Manovach,  who  were  established  to  be  deliverers,  he 
said,  I  expect  not  the  salvation  of  Gideon,  nor  look  I 
for  the  salvation  of  Shimshon ;  for  their  salvation  will 
be  the  salvation  of  an  hour ;  but  for  Thy  salvation  have 
I  waited,  and  will  look  for,  0  Lord ;  for  Thy  salvation 
is  the  salvation  of  eternity. 

The  tribe  of  Gad  with  the  rest  of  the  tribes  will, 
armed,  pass  over  the  streams  of  Arnona,  and  subdue 
before  them  the  pillars  of  the  earth,  and  armed  will  they 
return  into  their  limits  with  much  substance,  and  dwell 
in  peace  beyond  the  passage  of  Jardena;  for  so  will 
they  choose,  and  it  shall  be  to  them  to  receive  their 
inheritance. 

Happy  is  Asher,  whose  fruitage  is  plenteous,  and 
wThose  land  aboundeth  in  balsams  and  costly  perfumes. 

Naphtali  is  a  swift  messenger,  like  a  hind  that  run¬ 
neth  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  bringing  good 
tidings :  he  it  was  who  announced  that  Joseph  was 
living ;  he  it  was  who  hasteneth  to  go  into  Mizraim,  and 
bring  the  contract  of  the  double  field  in  which  Esau 
had  no  portion ; 3  and  when  he  shall  open  his  mouth  in 
the  congregation  of  Israel  to  give  praise,  he  shall  be  the 
chosen  of  all  tongues. 

Joseph,  my  son,  thou  hast  become  great ;  Joseph,  my 
’  See  the  next  chapter. 


ON  GENESIS. 


333 


XL1X.] 

son,  thou  hast  become  great  and  mighty;  the  end 
(determined)  on  thee  was  (that  thou  shouldst)  be 
mighty,  because  thou  didst  subdue  thy  inclination  in 
the  matter  of  thy  mistress,  and  in  the  work  of  thy 
brethren.  Thee  will  I  liken  to  a  vine  planted  by  foun¬ 
tains  of  water,  wrhich  sendeth  forth  her  roots,  and  over- 
runneth  the  ridges  of  stone,  and  covereth  by  her 
branches  all  unfruitful  trees  ;  even  so  didst  thou  my  son 
Joseph  subject  by  thy  wisdom  and  thy  good  works  all 
the  magicians  of  Mizraim;  and  when,  celebrating  thy 
praises,  the  daughters  of  princes  walking  on  the  high 
places  cast  before  thee  bracelets  and  chains  of  gold, 
that  thou  shouldst  lift  up  thine  eyes  upon  them,  thine 
eyes  thou  wouldst  not  lift  up  on  one  of  them,  to  become 
guilty  in  the  great  day  of  judgment.  And  all  the  magi¬ 
cians  of  Mizraim  were  bitter  and  angry  against  him,  and 
brought  accusations  against  him  before  Pharoh,  expect¬ 
ing  to  bring  him  down  from  his  honour.  They  spake 
against  him  with  the  slanderous  tongue 4  which  is  severe 
as  arrows.  But  he  returned  to  abide  in  his  early 
strength,  and  would  not  yield  himself  unto  sin,  and 
subdued  his  inclinations  by  the  strong  discipline  he  had 
received  from  Jakob,  and  thence  became  worthy  of 
being  a  ruler,  and  of  being  joined  in  the  engraving  of 
the  names  upon  the  stones  of  Israel.  From  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy  help ;  and  He  who  is  called  the 
All-Sufficient  shall  bless  thee  with  the  blessings  which 
descend  with  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above,  and  with 
the  good  blessing  of  the  fountains  of  the  deep  which 
ascend  and  clothe  the  herbage  from  beneath.  The 
breasts  are  blessed  at  which  thou  wast  suckled,  and  the 
womb  in  which  thou  didst  lie.  The  blessings  of  thy 
father  be  added  to  the  blessings  wherewith  my  fathers 

4  “  With  triple  tongue.”  Compare  the  Targum  on  Psalm  ci.  5  ; 
Psalm  cxl.  11 ;  Eccles.  x.  11 ;  and  our  Introduction,  p.  12. 


334  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Abraham  and  Izhak  have  blessed  me,  and  which  the 
princes  of  the  world  Ishmael  and  Esau  and  all  the  sons 
of  Keturah  have  desired : — let  all  these  blessings  be 
united,  and  form  a  diadem  of  majesty  for  the  head  of 
Joseph,  and  for  the  brow  of  the  man  who  became  chief 
and  ruler  in  Mizraim,  and  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of 
his  brethren. 

Benjamin  is  a  strong  tribe,  (like)  the  wolf  (with)  his 
prey.  In  his  land  will  dwell  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord 
of  the  world,  and  the  house  of  the  sanctuary  be  builded 
in  his  inheritance.  In  the  morning  will  the  priests  offer 
the  lamb  continually  until  the  fourth  hour,  and  between 
the  evenings  the  second  lamb,  and  at  eventide  will  they 
divide  the  residue  remaining  of  the  offering,  and  eat, 
every  man,  his  portion. 

[Jerusalem  Targum.  And  our  father  Jakob  called 
his  sons,  and  said  to  them,  Gather  together,  and  I  will 
teach  you  the  concealed  end,  the  secret  mysteries,  the 
recompense  of  reward  for  the  just,  and  the  punishmeut 
of  the  wicked,  and  the  blessedness  of  Eden,  what  it  is. 
And  the  twelve  tribes  of  Jakob  assembled  and  sur¬ 
rounded  the  golden  bed  whereon  our  father  Jakob  lay, 
desiring  that  he  should  teach  them  (at  the)  end  in 
benediction  and  consolation.  Then  was  revealed  to  him 
the  secret  that  had  been  hidden  from  him,  and  then  was 
opened  the  door  which  had  been  shut  to  him.  Our 
father  Jakob  turned  therefore  and  blessed  his  sons,  every 
man  according  to  his  good  did  he  bless  him. 

[When  the  twelve  tribes  of  J akob  were  assembled,  and 
surrounded  the  golden  bed  whereon  our  father  Jakob 
lay,  they  expected  that  lie  would  make  known  to  them 
the  order  of  blessing  and  consolation :  but  they  were 
hidden  from  him.  Our  father  Jakob  answered  and  said 
to  them  :  From  Abraham  my  father's  father  arose  the 
profane  Ishmael  and  all  the  sons  of  Keturah ;  and  from 


XLIX. 


ON  GENESIS. 


335 


Izhak  my  father  arose  the  profane  Esau,  my  brother ; 
and  I  am  afraid  lest  there  should  be  among  you  a  man 
whose  heart  is  separated  from  his  brethren  to  go  and 
worship  before  strange  idols.  The  twelve  tribes  of 
J akob  answered  all  together,  and  said,  Hear  us,  Israel 
OUR  RATHER !  The  LORD  OUR  GOD  IS  ONE  LORD  ! 
And  Jakob  our  father  answered,  and  said,  May  His 
Great  Name  be  blessed  for  ever  and  ever ! 

[Keuben,  my  firstborn  art  thou,  my  strength,  and  the 
beginning  of  my  sorrow.  To  thee  my  son  Reuben 
would  it  have  pertained  to  receive  three  portions  above 
thy  brethren,  birthright,  priesthood,  kingdom :  but 
because  thou  hast  sinned,  Reuben,  my  son,  the  birth¬ 
right  is  given  unto  Joseph,  the  kingdom  to  Jehuda,  and 
the  high  priesthood  to  the  tribe  of  Levi.  I  will  liken 
thee,  my  son  Reuben,  to  a  little  garden  into  the  midst  of 
which  there  enter  rapid  torrents,  which  it  cannot  bear, 
but  is  carried  away  before  them.  Be  repentant  then, 
my  son  Reuben,  with  good  works,  for  thou  hast  sinned ; 
and  sin  no  more,  that  that  which  thou  hast  sinned  may 
be  forgiven  thee. 

[5.  Siiimeon  and  Levi  are  brothers  of  the  womb, 
men  who  are  masters  of  sharp  weapons ;  they  made  war 
from  their  youth ;  in  the  land  of  their  adversary  they 
wrought  out  the  triumphs  of  war.  In  their  counsels 
my  soul  found  no  pleasure ;  and  in  their  gathering 
together  at  the  city  of  Shekem  to  destroy  it,  they  were 
not  favourable  to  my  honour ;  for  in  their  anger  they 
slew  kings  with  princes,  and  in  their  wilfulness  they  sold 
Joseph  their  brother,  who  is  compared  to  the  ox. 
Accursed  was  the  town  of  Shekem  when  Shimeon  and 
Levi  entered  to  destroy  it  in  their  wrath,  for  it  was 
strong,  and  in  their  anger,  for  it  was  cruel.  And  Jakob 
our  father  said,  If  these  remain  together,  no  people  or 
kingdom  can  stand  before  them.  I  will  divide  the  tribe 


336  TAB-GUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

of  Shimeon,  that  they  may  become  preachers  and  teachers 
of  the  law  in  the  congregation  of  Jakob ;  and  I  will 
disperse  the  tribe  of  Levi  in  the  houses  of  instruction 
for  the  sons  of  Israel. 

[8.  Jehuda,  thee  shall  all  thy  brethren  praise,  and 
from  thy  name  shall  all  be  called  Jehudaee;  thy  hand 
shall  avenge  thee  of  thy  adversaries ;  all  the  sons  of  thy 
father  shall  come  before  thee  with  salutation.  I  will 
liken  thee,  my  son  Jehuda,  to  a  whelp  the  son  of  a  lion  : 
from  the  slaying  of  Joseph  thou  wast  free,  from  the 
judgment  of  Tamar  thou,  my  son,  wast  acquitted.  He 
remaineth  tranquil  in  the  midst  of  war,  as  the  lion  and 
as  the  lioness ;  nor  is  there  people  or  kingdom  that  can 
stand  against  thee.  Kings  shall  not  cease  from  the 
house  of  Jehuda,  nor  sapherim  teaching  the  law  from 
his  children's  children,  until  the  time  that  the  King 
Meshiha  shall  come,  whose  is  the  kingdom,  and  to  whom 
all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  shall  be  obedient.  How 
beauteous  is  the  King  Meshiha,  who  is  to  arise  from  the 
house  of  Jehuda ! 

[Binding  his  loins,  and  going  forth  to  war  against 
them  that  hate  him,  he  will  slay  kings  with  princes, 
and  make  the  rivers  red  with  the  blood  of  their  slain, 
and  his  hills  white  with  the  fat  of  their  mighty  ones ; 
his  garments  will  be  dipped  in  blood,  and  he  himself  be 
like  the  juice  of  the  winepress.  More  beautiful  are  the 
eyes  of  the  king  Meshiha  to  behold  than  pure  wine ; 
they  will  not  look  upon  that  which  is  unclean,  or  the 
shedding  of  the  blood  of  the  innocent.  His  teeth  are 
employed  according  to  the  precept  rather  than  in  eating 
the  things  of  violence  and  rapine;  his  mountains  shall 
be  red  with  vines,  and  his  presses  with  his  wine,  and 
his  hills  be  white  with  much  corn  and  with  flocks  of 
sheep. 

[14.  Issakar  is  a  strong  tribe,  and  his  limits  shall  be 


XLIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  337 

in  the  midst  between  two  boundaries.  And  he  saw  the 
house  of  the  sanctuary,  which  is  called  Quietness,5  that 
it  is  good,  and  the  land  that  its  fruits  are  rich ;  and 
bared  his  shoulders  to  labour  in  the  law,  and  to  him 
shall  be  all  his  brethren  bringing  tribute. 

[17.  (Of  Dan)  He  will  be  the  deliverer  who  is  to 
arise,  strong  will  he  be  and  elevated  above  all  kingdoms. 
And  he  will  be  like  the  serpent  that  lieth  in  the  way, 
and  the  basilisk  which  lurketh  at  the  dividing  of  the 
road,  which  striketh  the  horse  in  his  heel,  and  thinketh 
by  the  terror  of  him  to  throw  his  rider  backward.  He 
is  Shimshon  bar  Manovach,  who  will  be  a  terror  upon 
his  adversaries,  and  a  fear  upon  them  that  hate  him, 
and  who  will  slay  kings  with  princes.  Our  father  Jakob 
said,  My  soul  hath  not  waited  for  the  redemption  of 
Gideon  bar  Joash  which  is  for  an  hour,  nor  for  the 
redemption  of  Shimshon  which  is  a  creature  redemption, 
but  for  the  Redemption  which  Thou  hast  said  in  Thy 
Word  shall  come  for  Thy  people  the  sons  of  Israel,  for 
this  Thy  Redemption  my  soul  hath  waited. 

[19.  From  the  house  of  Gad  will  go  forth  hosts 
arrayed  in  arms.  They  will  bring  Israel  over  Jardena  ; 
put  them  in  possession  of  the  land  of  Kenaan,  and  after¬ 
wards  return  in  peace  to  their  tabernacles. 

[Of  happy  Asher,  how  fertile  is  the  land  !  His  land 
shall  satisfy  with  dainties  the  kings  of  the  sons  of 
Israel. 

[Naphtali  is  a  swift  messenger  declaring  good  tidings. 
He  first  declared  to  our  father  Jakob  that  Joseph  was 
yet  in  life,  and  he  went  down  to  Mizraim  in  a  little  time, 
and  brought  the  contract  of  the  Double  Field  from  the 
palace  of  J oseph.  And  when  he  openeth  his  mouth  in  the 
congregation  of  Jakob,  his  tongue  is  sweet  as  honey. 

[22.  My  son  who  hast  become  great,  Joseph,  my  son, 

8  Menucha. 

Q 


338  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

who  hast  become  great,  and  waxed  mighty,  that  thou 
wouldst  become  mighty  was  foreseen.  Thee,  Joseph,  my 
son,  will  I  liken  to  a  vine  planted  by  fountains  of  water, 
which  sendeth  her  roots  into  the  depth  and  striketh 
the  ridges  of  the  rocks,  uplifting  herself  on  high  and 
surmounting  all  the  trees.  So  hast  thou,  O  Joseph  my 
son,  risen  by  thy  wisdom  above  all  the  magicians  of 
Mizraim,  and  all  the  wise  men  who  were  there,  what 
time  thou  didst  ride  in  the  second  chariot  of  Pharoh, 
and  they  proclaimed  before  thee  and  said,  This  is  the 
father  of  the  king,  Long  live  the  father  of  the  king. 
Great  in  wisdom,  though  few  in  years.  And  the 
daughters  of  kings  and  of  princes  danced  before  thee  at 
the  windows,  and  beheld  thee  from  the  balconies,  and 
scattered  before  thee  bracelets,  rings,  collars,  necklaces, 
and  all  ornaments  of  gold,  in  hope  thou  wouldst  uplift 
thine  eyes  and  regard  one  of  them.  But  thou  my  son 
Joseph  wast  far  from  lifting  thine  eyes  on  any  one  of 
them,  though  the  daughters  of  kings  and  of  princes 
spake  one  to  another,  This  is  the  holy  man  Joseph, 
who  walks  not  after  the  sight  of  his  eyes  nor  after  the 
imagination  of  his  heart;  because  the  sight  of  the  eyes 
and  the  imagination  of  his  heart  make  the  son  of  woman 
to  perish  from  the  world.  Therefore  will  arise  from  thee 
the  two  tribes  Menasheh  and  Ephraim,  who  shall  receive 
portion  and  inheritance  with  their  brethren  in  the  dividing 
of  the  land.  The  magicians  of  Mizraim  and  all  the  wise 
men  spake  against  him,  but  could  not  prevail  over  him ; 
they  spake  evil  of  him  before  his  lord,  they  accused  him 
before  Pharoh  king  of  Mizraim,  to  bring  him  down  from 
his  dignity ;  they  spake  against  him  in  the  palace  of 
Pharoh  with  a  slanderous  tongue  severe  as  arrows.  But 
the  strength  of  his  confidence6  remained  in  both  his 

6  Or,  “fidelity.” 


XLIX.]  ON  GENESIS.  339 

hands  and  his  arms,  and  he  sought  mercy  from  the 
strength  of  his  father  Jakob,  under  the  arms  of  whose 
power  the  tribes  of  Israel  are  led,  and  do  come.  Blessed 
are  the  breasts  that  suckled  thee,  and  the  womb  in  which 
thou  didst  lie.  The  blessing  of  thy  father  be  added 
upon  thee,  upon  the  blessings  wherewith  thy  fathers 
Abraham  and  Izhak  who  are  like  mountains  blessed  thee, 
and  upon  the  blessing  of  the  four  mothers,  Sarah, 
Rivekah,  Rahel,  and  Leah,  who  are  like  hills ;  let  all 
these  blessings  come,  and  make  a  diadem  of  majesty 
upon  the  head  of  Joseph,  and  upon  the  crown  of  the 
man  who  became  a  chief  and  ruler  in  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
and  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  his  brethren. 

[17.  (Of  Benjamin)  I  will  liken  him  to  a  ravening 
wolf.  In  his  limits  will  the  sanctuary  be  builded,  and 
in  his  inheritance  the  glory  of  the  Shekina  of  the  Lord 
will  dwell.  In  the  morning  will  the  priests  offer  the 
continual  lamb  and  its  oblations,  and  at  the  going 
down  of  the  sun  will  the  priests  offer  the  continual 
lamb  and  its  oblations,  and  at  evening  divide  the  offerings 
of  the  sons  of  Israel.] 

All  these  Tribes  of  Israel  are  twelve :  they  are  all 
righteous  together,  and  this  it  is  which  their  father 
spake  to  them,  and  blessed  them;  according  to  his 
blessing  blessed  he  each  man.  And  he  commanded 
them  and  said  to  them,  I  am  to  be  gathered  to  my 
people ;  bury  me  with  my  fathers  in  the  cavern  which 
is  in  the  field  of  Ephron  the  Hitah,  in  the  cave  that  is 
in  the  Double  Field  over  against  Mamre  in  the  land  of 
Kenaan ;  for  Abraham  bought  the  field  of  Ephron  the 
Hitah  for  an  inheritance  of  burial.  There  they  buried 
Abraham,  and  Sarah  his  wife;  there  they  buried  Izhak, 
and  Rivekah  his  wife  ;  and  there  I  buried  Leah  : — the 
purchase  of  the  field,  and  the  cave  that  is  in  it,  of  the 
sons  of  Hitah. 

Q  ^ 


340  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Jakob  ceased  to  command  his  sons.  And  he 
gathered  up  his  feet  into  the  midst  of  the  bed,  and 
expired,  and  was  gathered  unto  his  people. 

L.  And  Joseph  laid  his  father  upon  a  couch  of  ivory 
which  was  framed  with  pure  gold,  and  inlaid  with 
precious  stones,  and  secured  with  cords  of  byssus. 
There  they  poured  out  fervid  wines,  and  there  burned 
they  most  costly  perfumes :  there  stood  the  chiefs 
of  the  house  of  Esau  and  the  chiefs  of  the  house 
of  Ishmael;  there  stood  the  Lion  of  Jehuda,  the 
strength  of  his  brethren.  lie  answered  and  said  to  his 
brethren,  Come,  and  let  us  raise  up  to  our  father  a  tall 
cedar  whose  head  shall  reach  to  the  top  of  heaven,  and  its 
branches  overshadow  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth, 
and  its  roots  extend  to  the  depths  of  the  abyss :  from  it 
have  arisen  the  twelve  tribes,  and  from  it  will  arise 
kings,  princes,  and  priests  in  their  divisions,  to  offer 
oblations,  and  from  it  the  Levites  in  their  appointments 
for  singing.  Then,  behold,  Joseph  bowed  himself  upon 
his  father’s  face,  and  wept  over  him,  and  kissed  him. 

[Jerusalem.  And  Joseph  laid  him  on  a  couch  of 
ivory  which  was  covered  with  pure  gold,  and  inset  with 
pearls,  and  spread  with  clothes  of  byssos  and  purple. 
There  they  poured  out  wine  with  choice  perfumes,  there 
they  burned  aromatic  gums ;  there  stood  the  chiefs  of 
the  house  of  Esau ;  there  stood  the  princes  of  the  house 
of  Ishmael;  there  stood  the  Lion  Jehuda,  the  strength 
of  his  brethren.  And  Jehuda  answered  and  said  to 
his  brethren,  Come,  let  us  raise  up  to  our  father  a  tall 
cedar,  whose  head  shall  reach  to  heaven,  but  whose 
branches  unto  the  inhabitants  of  the  world.  Erom  it 
have  arisen  the  twelve  tribes,  from  it  the  priests  with 
their  trumpets  and  the  Levites  with  their  harps.  And 
they  wept,  and  Joseph  bowed  himself  on  the  face  of 
his  father,  and  wept  over  him  and  kissed  him.] 


ON  GENESIS. 


341 


L.] 

And  Joseph  commanded  his  servants  the  physicians 
to  embalm  his  father;  and  the  physicians  embalmed 
Israel.  And  the  forty  days  of  embalming  were  completed 
to  him;  for  so  fulfil  they  the  days  of  embalming;  and 
the  Mizraee  lamented  him  seventy  days ;  saying  one  to 
another,  Come,  let  us  lament  over  Jakob  the  Holy, 
whose  righteousness  turned  away  the  famine  from  the 
land  of  Mizraim.  Eor  it  had  been  decreed  that  there 
should  be  forty  and  two  years  of  famine,  but  through 
the  righteousness  of  Jakob  forty  years  are  withheld  from 
Mizraim,  and  there  came  famine  but  for  two  years  only.7 
And  the  days  of  his  mourning  passed.  And  Joseph 
spake  with  the  lords  of  the  house  of  Pharoh,  saying,  If 
I  may  find  favour  in  your  eyes,  speak  now  in  the 
hearing  of  Pharoh,  saying,  My  father  made  me  swear, 
saying,  Behold,  I  die,  in  the  sepulchre  which  I  have 
prepared  for  me  in  the  land  of  Kenaan  there  shalt  thou 
bury  me.  And  now  let  me  go  up  and  bury  my  father, 
and  I  will  return.  And  Pharoh  said.  Go  up,  and  bury 
thy  father,  according  as  he  made  thee  swear. 

And  Joseph  went  up  to  bury  his  father ;  and  all  the 
servants  of  Pharoh,  the  elders  of  his  house,  and  all  the 
elders  of  the  land  of  Mizraim,  went  up  with  him. 
And  all  the  men  of  Joseph’s  house,  and  his  brethren, 
and  his  father’s  household  :  only  their  children,  and 
their  sheep  and  oxen,  left  they  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 

And  there  went  up  with  him  chariots  and  horsemen 
and  a  very  great  host.  And  they  came  to  the  thresh¬ 
ing  floor  of  Atad,  which  is  beyond  the  Jardena,  and 
there  they  lamented  with  a  great  and  mighty  lamenta¬ 
tion.  And  he  made  there  a  mourning  for  his  father 
seven  days.  And  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  of 
Kenaan  beheld  the  mourning  at  the  threshing-floor  of 
Atad,  and  they  loosed  the  girdles  of  their  loins  in 
7  Fiction. 


342  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

honour  of  Jakob,  and  spread  forth  their  hands,  and  said. 
This  is  a  mighty  mourning  of  the  Mizraee.  Therefore 
he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Abel  Mizraim,  which  is 
on  the  other  side  of  Jardena.  And  his  sons  did  for 
him  as  he  had  commanded  them. 

But  when  his  sons  had  brought  him  into  the  land  of 
Kenaan,  and  the  thing  was  heard  by  Esau  the  Wicked, 
he  journeyed  from  the  mountain  of  Gebala  with  many 
legions,  and  came  to  Hebron,  and  would  not  suffer 
Joseph  to  bury  his  father  in  the  Double  Cave.  Then 
forthwith  went  Naphtali,  and  ran,  and  went  down  to 
Mizraim,  and  came  in  that  day,  and  brought  the  Instru¬ 
ment  that  Esau  had  written  for  Jakob  his  brother  in 
the  controversy  of  the  Double  Cave.  And  immediately 
he  beckoned  to  Husliim  the  son  of  Dan,  who 
unsheathed  the  sword  and  struck  off  the  head  of  the 
wicked  Esau,  and  the  head  of  Esau  rolled  into  the 
midst  of  the  cave,  and  rested  upon  the  bosom  of  Izliak 
his  father;  and  the  sons  of  Esau  buried  his  body  in 
the  double  field,8  and  afterward  the  sons  of  Jakob 
buried  him  in  the  cave  of  the  double  field ;  in  the  field 
which  Abraham  bought  for  an  inheritance-sepulchre,  of 
Ephron  the  Hitah,  over  against  Mamre. 

And  Joseph  returned  to  Mizraim,  he  and  his  breth¬ 
ren,  and  all  who  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his  father, 
after  they  had  buried  his  father. 

And  Joseph's  brethren  saw  that  their  father  was 
dead,  and  that  he  (Joseph)  did  not  return  to  eat 
together  with  them,  and  they  said,  Perhaps  Joseph 
retaineth  enmity  against  us,  and  will  bring  upon  us  all 
the  evil  that  we  did  him.  And  they  instructed  Bilhah 
to  say  to  Joseph,  Thy  father  commanded  before  his 
death  to  speak  to  thee,  Thus  shall  you  say  to  Joseph, 
Eorgive  now  the  guilt  of  thy  brethren  and  their  sin,  for 
8  Fiction. 


ON  GENESIS, 


343 


L.j 


they  committed  evil  against  tliee ;  but  forgive,  I  beseech 
thee,  the  guilt  of  the  servants  of  the  God  of  thy  father, 
[Jerusalem.  And  they  instructed  the  tribe  of  Bilhah 
the  handmaid  of  Bahel  to  say,  Thy  father  before  he  was 
gathered  commanded,  saying.] 

And  Joseph  wept  when  they  spake  with  him.  And 
his  brethren  came  also,  and  bowed  themselves  before 
him,  and  said,  Behold,  we  are  thy  servants.  And 
Joseph  said  to  them,  Pear  not,  for  I  will  not  do  you 
evil,  but  good  ;  for  I  fear  and  humble  myself  before  the 
Lord.  [Jerusalem.  And  Joseph  said  to  them,  Pear 
not,  for  the  evil  that  you  did  me  hath  ended.  Are  not 
the  thoughts  of  the  sons  of  men  before  the  Lord  ?] 
You  indeed  imagined  against  me  evil  thoughts,  that 
when  I  did  not  recline  with  you  to  eat  it  was  because 
I  retained  enmity  against  you.  But  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  thought  on  me  for  good ;  for  my  father  hath 
caused  me  to  sit  at  the  head,  and  on  account  of  his 
honour  I  received ;  but  now  not  for  the  sake  of  my 
(own)  righteousness  or  merit  was  it  given  me  to 
work  out  for  you  deliverance  this  day  for  the  preserva¬ 
tion  of  much  people  of  the  house  of  Jakob.  And  now 
fear  not ;  I  will  sustain  you  and  your  little  ones.  And 
lie  comforted  them,  and  spake  consolation  to  their 
heart. 

And  Joseph  dwelt  in  Mizraim,  he  and  his  father's 
house.  And  Joseph  lived  a  hundred  and  ten  years. 
And  Joseph  saw  Ephraim's  children  of  the  third 
generation ;  also  the  sons  of  Makir  the  son  of 
Menasheh,  when  they  were  born,  were  circumcised  by 
Joseph. 

And  Joseph  said  to  his  brethren,  Behold,  I  die ;  but 
the  Lord  remembering  will  remember  you,  and  will 
bring  you  up  from  this  land,  into  the  land  which  He 
sware  to  Abraham,  to  Izhak,  and  to  Jakob.  And 


344  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  ON  GENESIS. 

Joseph  adjured  the  sons  of  Israel  to  say  to  their  sons, 
Behold,  you  will  be  brought  into  servitude  in  Mizraim ; 
but  you  shall  not  presume  to  go  up  out  of  Mizraim 
until  the  time  that  two  Deliverers  shall  come,  and  say 
to  you,  Remembering,  remember  ye  the  Lord.  And  at 
the  time  when  ye  go  up  ye  shall  carry  up  my  bones 
from  hence. 

And  Joseph  died,  the  son  of  a  hundred  and  ten 
years.  And  they  embalmed  him  with  perfumes,  and 
laid  him  in  an  ark,  and  submerged  him  in  the  midst  of 
the  Nilos  of  Mizraim.  [Jerusalem.  And  they  em¬ 
balmed  him,  and  laid  him  in  an  ark  in  the  land  of 
Mizraim.9 

9  The  Jerusalem  Talmud  records  the  tradition  that  “  the  Egyptians 
enclosed  the  body  of  Joseph  in  a  metal  coffin,  and  buried  it  in  the  Nile, 
that  thereby  the  watei’9  of  the  river  might  be  blessed ;  ”  and  that  at 
the  Exodus  the  coffin  was  recovered. — Sot  ah,  10. 


END  OF  THE  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 
ON  THE  SEPHER  BERESHITH. 


THE  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


ON 


THE  BOOK  SHEMOTH, 

OR 

EXODUS. 


[In  the  Pentateuch  the  first  chapter  of  Exodus  begins  the  Thirteenth 
Section  of  the  Law  with  the  initial  Shemoth,  or  Names.] 

I.  And  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel 
who  came  into  Mizraim  with  Jakob  ;  (each)  man  with 
the  men  of  his  house  they  came  in  :  Beuben,  Shimeon, 
Levi  and  Jehudah,  Issakar,  Zebulon  and  Benyamin, 
Dan  and  Naphtali,  Gad  and  Asher.  And  all  the  souls 
that  came  forth  from  the  thigh  of  Jakob  were  seventy 
souls,  with  Joseph  who  was  in  Mizraim. 

And  Joseph  died,  and  all  his  brethren,  and  all  that 
generation ;  but  the  sons  of  Israel  increased  and  pro¬ 
pagated,  and  became  great  and  very  mighty,  and  the 
land  was  filled  with  them. 

But  a  new  king  arose  over  Mizraim  who  did  not  hold 
valid  (or  confirm)  the  decree  of  Joseph.  And  he  said 
to  his  people,  Behold,  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel 
are  more  numerous  and  stronger  than  we :  come,  let  us 
deal  wisely  by  them,  lest  they  multiply,  and  it  be  that 
should  war  happen  to  us  they  join  themselves  with  our 
enemies,  and  break  forth  in  the  war  against  us,  and  go 
up  from  the  land.  And  they  appointed  over  them  evil- 
doing  governors  (shiltonin)  to  afflict  them  in  their 
labours.  And  they  builded  cities  of  treasure  houses  for 

Q  5 


346  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Pharoh,  Pithom,  and  Baamsas.  But  by  as  much  as 
they  afflicted  them,  so  they  increased  and  waxed  strong, 
and  the  Mizraee  had  vexation  on  account  of  the  sons 
of  Israel;  and  the  Mizraee  made  the  sons  of  Israel 
serve  with  rigour,  and  embittered  their  lives  with  hard 
labour,  in  clay  and  in  brick,  and  in  all  labour  of  the 
field, — all  the  work  which  they  wrought,  they  made 
them  do  with  hardship. 

And  the  king  of  Mizraim  spake  to  the  midwives  of 
Jewesses,  ( Yehuditha ,)  of  whom  the  name  of  the  one 
was  Shiphra,  and  the  name  of  the  second  Puvah ;  and  he 
said,  When  you  do  the  office  of  the  midwife  among  the 
Jewish  women,  and  you  look  upon  the  childbirth,  if  it 
be  a  son,  you  shall  kill  him ;  but  if  a  daughter,  let  her 
live.  But  the  midwives  feared  before  the  Lord,  and 
did  not  act  as  the  king  of  Mizraim  had  bidden  them, 
but  preserved  the  sons  alive.  And  the  king  of  Miz¬ 
raim  called  the  midwives  and  said  to  them,  Why  have 
you  done  this  thing  and  have  kept  the  sons  alive  ? 
And  the  midwives  said  to  Pharoh,  It  is  because  the 
Jewesses  are  unlike  the  Mizraite  women;  they  are 
cunning,  and  give  birth  before  the  midwives  come  to 
them.  And  the  Lord  did  good  to  the  midwives;  and 
the  people  multiplied  and  became  very  strong.  And 
because  the  midwives  feared  before  the  Lord  He  made 
for  them  houses.  But  Pharoh  commanded  all  his 
people,  saying,  Every  son  who  is  born  to  the  Jews  you 
shall  throw  into  the  river,  and  every  daughter  you  shall 
keep  alive. 

II.  And  a  man  of  the  house  of  Levi  went  and  took 
a  daughter  of  Levi  (to  wife).  And  the  woman  con¬ 
ceived,  and  bare  a  son ;  and  she  saw  that  he  was  good, 
and  concealed  him  three  months.  But  not  being  able 
to  hide  him  longer,  she  took  an  ark  of  reed,  and 
covered  it  with  bitumen  and  pitch,  and  laid  the  child 


ON  EXODUS. 


347 


«•] 


within  it,  and  set  it  in  the  river  upon  the  brink  of  the 
stream.1  And  his  sister  stationed  herself  at  a  distance, 
to  know  what  would  be  done  to  him. 

And  the  daughter  of  Pharoh  came  down  to  wash  at 
the  river,  and  her  damsels  walked  on  the  river’s  bank ; 
and  she  saw  the  ark  in  the  flood,2  and  reached  out  her 
arm  and  took  it.  And  opening,  she  saw  the  child ; 
and,  behold,  the  infant  wept.  And  she  had  compassion 
on  him  and  said,  This  is  one  of  the  children  of  the 
Jehudaee.  Then  spake  his  sister  to  the  daughter  of 
Pharoh,  Shall  I  go  and  call  a  nurse-woman  of  the 
Jehudaee  who  will  suckle  the  child  for  thee  ?  And  the 
daughter  of  Pharoh  said  to  her,  Go ;  and  the  maiden 
went,  and  called  the  child’s  mother.  And  Pharoh’s 
daughter  said  to  her,  Take  this  child  and  nurse  it  for 
me,  and  I  will  give  thee  thy  recompense.  And  the 
woman  took  the  child  and  suckled  him.  And  the 
child  grew,  and  she  brought  him  to  Pharoh’s 
daughter,  and  he  became  to  her  a  son,  and  she  called 
his  name  Mosheh,  saying,  Because  I  drew  him  out  from 
the  water. 

And  it  was  in  those  days  when  Mosheh  had  grown 
that  he  went  out  to  his  brethren  and  beheld  their  ser¬ 
vitude.  And  he  saw  a  Mizraite  man  smite  a  man,  a 
Jehudai,  (one)  of  his  brethren.  And  he  turned  this 
way  and  that,  and  saw  that  there  was  no  man ;  and 
smote  the  Mizraite,  and  buried  him  in  the  sand.  And 
he  went  out  the  second  day,  and,  behold,  two  men, 
Jehudaeen  contended.  And  he  said  to  the  guilty  one, 
Why  did  you  strike  your  companion?  But  he  said. 
Who  set  you  a  chief  man  and  a  judge  over  us  ?  Will 
you  who  speak  so  kill  me,  as  you  killed  the  Mizraya  ? 
And  Mosheh  was  afraid,  and  said,  Surely  the  thing  is 
known.  And  Pharoh  heard  that  thing,  and  sought  to 

1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  among  the  rushes.”  2  Ibid. 


348  TAllGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

kill  Mosheh ;  and  Mosheh  fled  from  before  Pliaroh, 
and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Midian. 

And  he  sat  by  a  well ;  and  the  prince  (rabba)  of 
Midian  had  seven  daughters ;  and  they  came  and  drew 
and  filled  the  troughs  to  water  their  father's  flock. 
But  the  shepherds  came  and  drave  them  away ;  and 
Mosheh  arose  and  rescued  them,  and  watered  the  flock. 

And  they  came  to  Beuel  their  father ;  and  he  said. 
What  is  this,  that  ye  have  come  so  quickly  to-day  ? 
And  they  said,  A  man,  a  Mizraya,  delivered  us  from  the 
hand  of  the  shepherds,  and  also  drew  for  us  and 
watered  the  flock.  And  he  said  to  his  daughters,  And 
where  is  he  ?  wherefore  have  you  left  the  man  ?  Call 
him,  that  he  may  eat  bread.  And  Mosheh  was  willing 
to  dwell  with  the  man;  and  he  gave  Zipporah  his 
daughter  unto  Mosheh.  And  she  bare  a  sou  ;  and  he 
called  his  name  Gershom ;  for,  said  he,  I  am  a  stranger 
in  a  foreign  land. 

And  it  was  in  many  of  those  days  :  and  the  king  of 
Mizraim  died.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  groaned  with 
the  hard  service  which  was  upon  them ;  and  the  cry 
rose  up  before  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  from  their 
labour.  And  their  appeal  was  heard  before  the  Lord ; 
and  the  Lord  remembered  His  covenant  with  Abraham, 
with  Izhak,  and  with  Jakob.  And  the  servitude  of  the 
sons  of  Israel  was  known  before  the  Lord,  and  the 
Lord  said  in  His  Word,  that  He  would  deliver  them. 

III.  And  Mosheh  tended  the  flock  of  Jelhro  his 
father-in-law,  the  rabba  of  Midian,  and  he  led  the  flock 
to  the  place  of  the  best  pastures  of  the  wilderness,  and 
came  to  the  mountain  on  which  was  revealed  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  unto  Horeb.  And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  him  in  a  flame  of  fire  in  the  midst  of  a 
bush.'  And  he  gazed,  and,  behold,  the  bush  burned 
with  fire,  but  the  bush  was  not  consumed.  And 


ON  EXODUS. 


349 


in.] 

Mosheh  said,  I  will  now  turn  and  see  this  great  sight, 
why  the  bush  is  not  burned  up.  And  the  Lord  saw 
that  he  turned  to  see,  and  the  Lord  called  to  him  from 
the  midst  of  the  bush,  and  said,  Mosheh,  Mosheh  ! 
And  he  said,  Behold  me.  And  He  said.  Approach  not 
hither ; 3  loose  the  sandal  from  thy  foot,  for  the  place 
where  thou  standest  is  holy.  And  He  said,  I  am  the 
God  of  thy  fathers ;  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of 
Izhak,  and  the  God  of  Jakob.  And  Mosheh  bowed 
with  his  face ;  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  up  to  the  glory 
of  the  Lord. 

And  the  Lord  said,  The  bondage  of  My  people  who 
is  in  Mizraim  is  verily  disclosed  before  Me,  and  before 
Me  is  heard  their  cry  on  account  of  their  toils ; 4  for 
their  afflictions  are  disclosed  before  me;  and  I  have 
appeared  to  deliver  them  from  the  hand  of  the  Mizraee, 
and  to  bring  them  up  from  that  land,  unto  a  land  good 
and  large,  a  land  producing  milk  and  honey,  unto  the 
place  of  the  Kenaanaee,  and  the  Hittaee,  and  the  Amo- 
raee,  and  the  Perizaee,  and  the  Hivaee,  and  Yevusaee. 
And  now,  behold,  the  cry  of  the  sons  of  Israel  ascend- 
eth  before  Me,  and  the  affliction  is  also  revealed  before 
Me  wherewith  the  Mizraee  afflict  them.  And  now, 
come,  I  will  send  thee  to  Pharoh,  and  will  bring  forth 
the  sons  of  Israel  from  Mizraim. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Who  am  I,  that 
I  should  go  unto  Pharoh  to  bring  forth  the  sons  of 
Israel  from  Mizraim  ?  And  He  said,  Because  My 
Word  shall  be  thy  helper  :  and  this  shall  be  the  sign 
that  I  have  sent  thee :  In  thy  leading  forth  of  the 
people  from  Mizraim  you  shall  do  service  before  the 
Lord  upon  this  mountain. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Behold,  when  I 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  suddenly,”  or,  “  rashly.” 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  before  the  face  of  their  taskmasters.” 


350  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

am  come  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  say  to  them,  The 
God  of  your  fathers  hath  sent  me  to  you,  and  they  say 
to  me,  What  is  His  name  ?  what  shall  I  say  to  them  ? 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mosheh,  Eheyeh  asher 
Eheyeh.  And  he  said,  Thus  shalt  thou  speak  to  the 
sons  of  Israel,  Eheyeh  hath  sent  me  unto  you. 

The  Lord  said  moreover  to  Mosheh,  Thus  shalt 
thou  speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  The  Lord,  the  God  of 
your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Izhak, 
and  the  God  of  Jakob,  hath  sent  me  unto  you.  This 
is  My  Name  for  ever,  and  this  is  My  Memorial  in  every 
generation  and  generation.  Go  and  assemble  the 
elders  of  Israel  and  say  to  them,  The  Lord,  the  God  of 
your  fathers,  hath  revealed  Himself  to  me,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Izhak,  and  Jakob,  saying,  Remembering  I 
have  remembered  you,  and  that  which  hath  been  done 
to  you  in  Mizraim ;  and  I  have  said  that  I  would  bring 
you  up  from  the  bondage  of  Mizraim  to  the  land  of  the 
Kenaanaee,  and  Hittaee,  and  Emoraee,  and  the  Pherizaee, 
and  Hivaee,  and  Jebusaee, — to  a  land  producing  milk  and 
honey.  And  they  will  be  obedient  to  thee,5  and  thou  shalt 
go,  thou  and  the  elders  of  Israel,  to  the  king  of  Mizraim, 
and  say  to  him.  The  Lord,  the  God  of  the  Jehudaee, 
hath  called  us ; 6  and  now  let  us  go,  as  (for)  a  journey 
of  three  days  into  the  desert,  that  we  may  sacrifice 
before  the  Lord  our  God.  But  it  is  manifest  before 
Me  that  the  king  of  Mizraim  will  not  release  you,  that 
you  may  go,  not  even  on  account  of  Him  whose  power 
is  mighty.  But  I  will  send  forth  the  stroke  of  My 
power,  and  will  smite  the  Mizraee  with  all  My  miracles 
which  I  will  perform  among  them,  and  afterward  they 
will  send  you  away.  And  I  will  give  this  people  to 
become  favourites  in  the  eyes  of  the  Mizraee,  and  it 

5  Al.  cod “  to  thy  word.” 

8  Al.  cod.}  “  hath  revealed  Himself  to  us.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


351 


IV.] 

shall  be  that  when  you  go  you  shall  not  go  empty. 
But  you  shall  demand,  a  woman  of  her  neighbour  and  the 
inmates  of  her  house,  articles  of  silver  and  of  gold  and 
vestments,  and  put  them  upon  your  sons  and  upon 
your  daughters,  and  shall  make  the  Mizraee  empty.7 

IY.  And  Mosheh  answered  and  said,  But,  behold, 
they  will  not  believe  me  nor  hearken  to  me  :  for  they  will 
say,  The  Lord  hath  not  been  revealed  to  thee.  And 
the  Lord  said  to  him,  What  is  that  which  is  in  thy 
hand  ?  and  he  said,  A  rod.  And  He  said,  Cast  it  to 
the  ground ;  and  he  cast  it  upon  the  ground,  and  it 
became  a  serpent,  and  Mosheh  fled  from  before  it.  And 
the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand  and 
seize  it  by  its  tail ;  and  he  put  forth  his  hand  and 
grasped  it,  and  it  became  a  rod  in  his  hand.  That  they 
may  believe  that  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers  hath 
been  revealed  to  thee,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of 
Izhak,  and  the  God  of  Jakob.  And  the  Lord  said  yet 
to  him.  Put  now  thy  hand  into  thy  bosom.  And  he 
put  his  hand  into  his  bosom,  and  drew  it  out ;  and, 
behold,  his  hand  was  white  as  snow.  And  He  said, 
Beturn  thy  hand  into  thy  bosom..  And  he  returned 
his  hand  into  his  bosom,  and  drew  it  out  from  his  bosom, 
and,  behold,  it  had  turned  to  be  as  his  own  flesh.  And 
it  shall  be,  if  they  will  not  believe  thee  nor  receive  the 
voice  of  the  first  sign,  that  they  shall  believe  the  voice 
of  the  latter  sign.  But  if  they  will  not  believe  either 
of  these  two  signs,  nor  receive  from  thee,  take  of  the 
water  that  is  in  the  river,  and  pour  it  upon  the  ground ; 
and  the  water  which  thou  takest  from  the  river  shall 
become  blood  upon  the  ground. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  In  entreating,  I 
am  not  a  man  who  is  (well)  spoken,  neither  yesterday 
nor  the  day  before,  and  from  the  time  that  thou  spakest 
7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  strip  the  Mizraee.” 


352  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

with  Thy  servant :  for  I  am  heavy  of  speech  and  of  a 
deep 8  tongue.  But  the  Lord  said  to  him.  Who  hath 
appointed  the  mouth  of  man,  and  who  hath  appointed 
the  mute,  or  the  deaf,  or  the  open-sighted,  or  the  blind  ? 
Have  not  I,  the  Lord  ?  And  now  go,  and  My  Word 
shall  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  I  will  teach  thee  what  to 
say.  And  he  said,  I  beseech  the  Lord  to  send  by  the 
hand  of  one  who  is  fit  to  be  sent.  And  the  displeasure 
of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  Mosheh ;  and  He  said, 
Is  not  Aharon  the  Levite,  thy  brother,  known  before  Me 
as  one  who  speaking  can  speak?  and  also,  behold,  he 
cometh  forth  to  anticipate  thee,  and  will  see  thee,  and 
rejoice  in  his  heart.  And  thou  shalt  speak  with  him, 
and  put  the  words  in  his  mouth ;  and  My  Word  will  be 
with  thy  mouth  and  with  his  mouth,  and  I  will  teach 
you  what  to  do.  And  he  shall  speak  for  thee  with  the 
people,  and  shall  be  thy  interpreter,  and  thou  shalt  be 
to  him  a  rab ;  and  this  staff  thou  shalt  take  in  thy 
hand  wherewith  to  work  the  signs. 

And  Mosheh  went,  and  returned  to  J ether  his  father- 
in-law,  and  said  to  him,  I  will  now  go  and  return  to  my 
brethren  wLo  are  in  Mizraim,  and  see  if  they  still  live. 
And  Jether  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  peace.  And  the 
Lord  said  to  Mosheh  in  Midian,  Go,  return  to  Mizraim ; 
for  all  the  men  who  sought  to  kill  thee  are  dead.  And 
Mosheh  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and  made  them  ride 
upon  the  ass,  and  returned  to  the  land  of  Mizraim. 
And  Mosheh  took  the  staff  with  which  the  miracles  had 
been  done  before  the  Lord  in  his  hand.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Mosheh,  In  thy  going  to  return  to  Mizraim 
look  to  all  the  wonders  that  I  have  appointed  by  thy 
hand,  and  do  them  before  Pharoh.  But  I  will  obdurate 
his  heart,  and  he  will  not  send  the  people  away.  And 
thou  shalt  say  unto  Pharoh,  Thus  said  the  Lord;  Israel 
e  Or,  "stammering.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


353 


v.] 

is  My  son,  My  firstborn.  And  I  say  unto  tbee,  Let 
My  son  go,  that  he  may  serve  before  Me ;  and  if  thou 
refuse  to  send  him  away,  behold,  I  will  kill  thy  son,  thy 
firstborn. 

And  it  was  in  the  way,  at  the  place  of  lodging,  that 
the  Angel  of  the  Lord  met  him,  and  sought  to  kill  him. 
And  Zipporah  took  a  stone,  and  circumcised  the  fore¬ 
skin  of  her  son,  and  approached  before  him,  and  said, 
On  account  of  the  blood  of  this  circumcision  let  my 
husband  be  given  (back)  to  me.  And  when  he  had 
desisted  from  him,  she  said.  But  for  the  blood  of  this 
circumcision  my  husband  would  have  been  condemned 
to  die. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Aharon,  Go  thou  to  meet 
Mosheh  in  the  desert.  And  he  went,  and  met  him  at 
the  mountain  on  which  was  revealed  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  and  he  kissed  him.  And  Mosheh  showed  Aharon 
all  the  words  with  which  the  Lord  had  sent  him,  and 
all  the  signs  which  he  had  commanded.  And  Mosheh 
and  Aharon  went  and  assembled  all  the  elders  of  the 
sons  of  Israel ;  and  Aharon  told  all  the  words  which 
the  Lord  had  spoken  with  Mosheh,  and  did  the  signs 
in  the  eyes  of  the  people.  And  the  people  believed, 
and  understood  (heard)  that  the  Lord  had  remembered 
the  sons  of  Israel,  and  that  their  slavery  was  manifest 
before  him;  and  they  bowed,  and  adored. 

V.  And  afterward  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  in,  and 
said  to  Pharoh  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel, 
Let  My  people  go,  to  solemnize  a  feast  {yechagun) 
before  Me  in  the  desert.  And  Pharoh  said.  The  name 
of  the  Lord  is  not  known  to  me,  that  I  should  hearken 
to  His  word  to  send  Israel  away.  The  name  of  the 
Lord  is  not  revealed  to  me,  and  Israel  I  shall  not 
release.  And  they  said.  The  God  of  the  Jehudaee  hath 
revealed  Himself  to  us ;  let  us  now  go  three  days'  journey 


354  TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

into  the  desert  to  sacrifice  before  the  Lord  our  God, 
lest  He  come  upon  us  with  death  or  with  slaughter. 
And  the  king  of  Mizraim  said  to  them,  Why,  Mosheh 
and  Aharon,  do  you  hinder  the  people  from  their  works  ? 
Go  to  your  employment.  And  Pharoh  said,  Behold 
now,  the  people  of  the  land  are  many,  and  you  make  them 
relax  from  their  employment.  And  Pharoh  that  day 
commanded  the  masters 9  of  the  people  and  the  over¬ 
seers, 10  saying,  You  shall  not  continue  (add)  to  give 
straw  to  the  people  to  cast  bricks,  as  heretofore ;  let 
them  go  and  collect  straw  for  themselves ;  yet  the 
number 11  of  bricks  which  they  have  made  heretofore 
you  shall  still  lay  upon  them  and  not  diminish;  for 
they  are  idle,  and  therefore  cry,  saying,  We  will  go 
and  sacrifice  before  our  God.  Make  labour  heavy  upon 
the  men  :  let  them  be  occupied  with  it,  and  not  with 
vain  words.  And  the  masters  of  the  people  and  the 
overseers  went  forth  and  spake  to  the  people,  saying. 
Thus  saith  Pharoh,  I  will  not  give  you  straw ;  you  shall 
go  and  gather  up  straw  for  yourselves  wheresoever  you 
can  find  it;  though  from  your  work  there  shall  be 
nothing  diminished.  And  the  people  were  scattered 
abroad  over  all  the  country  of  Mizraim  to  gather 
stubble  for  straw.  And  the  masters  were  urgent,  saying, 
Fulfil  your  work,  the  matter  of  a  day  in  a  day,  as  you 
did  when  straw  was  given  you.  And  the  masters  whom 
Pharoh  set  over  the  sons  of  Israel  smote  them,  saying, 
Why  do  you  not  fulfil  your  requirement  to  cast  the 
bricks  as  heretofore,  as  yesterday,  so  also  to-day  ?  And 
the  overseers  of  the  sons  of  Israel  came  and  complained 
before  Pharoh,  saying,  Why  hast  thou  done  thus  with 
thy  servants  ?  Thou  hast  not  given  thy  servants  straw, 
yet  they  say  to  us,  Make  bricks ;  and,  behold,  thy  servants 

9  Sam.  Vers.,  “the  foremen.”  10  Sam.  Vers.,  “his  scribes.” 

11  Sam.  Vers.,  “  proportion.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


355 


VI.] 

are  beaten,  and  thy  people  sin  against  us.  But  he  said, 
You  are  idle,  you  are  idle :  therefore  you  say.  We  will  go 
and  sacrifice  before  the  Lord.  And  now  go,  work  :  but 
straw  I  will  not  give  you ;  yet  the  number  of  bricks 
you  shall  render.  And  the  overseers  of  the  sons  of 
Israel  perceived  that  they  were  in  evil :  for  they  said  to 
them.  You  shall  not  diminish  from  your  bricks  the 
matter  of  a  day,  in  a  day. 

And  they  met  Mosheh  and  Aharon  standing  before 
them  in  their  coming  out  from  being  with  Pharoh.  And 
they  said  to  them.  May  the  Lord  manifest  Himself  to 
you  and  adjudge ; 1  because  you  have  made  our  savour 
evil  in  the  eyes  of  Pharoh,  and  in  the  eyes  of  his  servants, 
and  have  put  a  sword  into  their  hands  to  kill  us  !  And 
Mosheh  returned  before  the  Lord  and  said,  0  Lord,  why 
hast  Thou  done  evil  unto  this  people,  and  wTherefore 
didst  Thou  send  me  ?  and  from  the  time  that  I  went  in 
to  Pharoh  to  speak  in  Thy  name  he  hath  done  evil  to 
this  people,  but  liberating  Thou  hast  not  liberated  Thy 
people.  YI.  But  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Now  shalt 
thou  see  what  I  will  do  to  Pharoh  :  for  with  a  strong 
hand  shall  he  send  them  away,  and  with  a  strong  hand 
drive  them  from  his  land. 


SECTION  XIY. 

VAERA. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh  and  said  to  him,  I 
am  the  Lord ;  and  I  appeared  unto  Abraham  and  to 
Izhak  and  to  Jakob  by  (the  name)  EUShaddai,  but  by 
My  name  Jehovah2  I  was  not  known  to  them.  And  also 
1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  interpret.”  2  Onkelos,  Yeyd. 


356  TAR, GUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

I  have  confirmed  My  covenant  with  them  to  give  them 
the  land  of  Kenaan,  the  land  of  their  sojournings  in 
which  they  sojourned.  And  before  Me  hath  been  heard 
the  cry  of  the  sons  of  Israel  whom  the  Mizraee  make  to 
labour  for  them ;  and  I  have  remembered  My  covenant. 
Therefore,  say  thou  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  I  am  the 
Lord,  and  I  will  bring  you  out  from  the  midst  of 
the  sore  labour  for  the  Mizraee,  and  will  deliver 
you  from  their  servitude,  and  redeem  you  with  a  lofty 
arm  and  with  great  judgments.  And  I  will  bring 
you  nigh  before  Me  to  be  a  people,  and  I  will  be  unto 
you  a  God;  and  you  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord 
your  God  who  bringeth  you  out  from  the  sore  Mizrean 
bondage.  And  I  will  lead  you  into  the  land  w'hich  I 
have  sworn  in  My  Word  to  give  to  Abraham,  to  Izhak, 
and  to  Jakob ;  and  to  you  will  I  give  it  for  an  inherit¬ 
ance  ;  I  am  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  so  spake  with  the 
sons  of  Israel :  but  they  received  not  from  Mosheh 
through  anguish  of  spirit,  and  from  the  labour  which 
was  hard  upon  them. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  Go  in,  speak 
with  Pharoh  king  of  Mizraim,  that  he  send  awray  the 
sons  of  Israel  from  his  land.  And  Mosheh  spake  before 
the  Lord,  saying,  Behold,  the  sons  of  Israel  have  not 
received  from  me,  and  how  then  wfill  Pharoh  receive,  and 
I  (so)  heavy  of  speech  ?  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh 
and  Aharon,  and  gave  them  commandment  to  the  sons 
of  Israel  and  unto  Pharoh  king  of  Mizraim  for  the  going 
forth  of  the  sons  of  Israel  from  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

These  are  the  heads  of  the  house  of  their  fathers. 
The  sons  of  Eeuben  the  firstborn  of  Israel,  Hanuk  and 
Phalli,  Hetsron  and  Karmi ;  these  are  the  progeny  of 
Eeuben.  And  the  sons  of  Shimeon,  Yemuel  and  Yamiu 
and  Achad  and  Yakin  and  Zochar  and  Shaul  the  son  of 
a  Pvenaanitha ;  these  are  the  progeny  of  Shimeon.  And 


ON  EXODUS. 


357 


VI.] 

these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Levi,  according  to 
their  generations :  Gershon  and  Kehath  and  Merari. 
And  the  years  of  the  life  of  Levi  were  a  hundred  and 
thirty  and  seven  years.  The  sons  of  Gerson,  Libni  and 
Shimei,  after  their  progenies.  And  the  sons  of  Kehath, 
Am  ram  and  Izhar  and  Hebron  and  Uzziel.  And  the 
years  of  the  life  of  Kehath,  a  hundred  and  thirty  and 
three  years.  And  the  sons  of  Merari,  Maheli  and 
Mushi.  These  are  the  progenies  of  Levi,  after  their 
generations.  And  Amram  took  Yokebed  the  sister  of 
his  father  unto  him  to  wife,  and  she  bare  him  Aharon 
and  Moslieh.  And  the  years  of  the  life  of  Amram  were 
an  hundred  and  thirty  and  seven  years.  And  the  sons 
of  Izhar,  Korah  and  Nepheg  and  Zikri.  And  the  sous 
of  Uzziel,  Mishael  and  Elzaphan  and  Sithri.  And 
Aharon  took  Elisheba  the  daughter  of  Aminadab  the 
sister  of  Nachshon  to  him  to  wife ;  and  she  bare  him 
Nadab  and  Abihu,  Elazar  and  Ithamar.  And  the  sons 
of  Korah,  Asir  and  Elkanah  and  Abiasaph :  these  are 
the  progeny  of  Korah.  And  Elazar  the  son  of  Aharon 
took  (one)  of  the  daughters  of  Phutiel  to  himself  to 
wife,  and  she  bare  him  Pinhas.  These  are  the  chiefs  of 
the  fathers  of  the  Levaee,  according  to  their  generations. 
It  is  Aharon  and  Mosheh,  to  whom  the  Lord  had  said. 
Bring  forth  the  sons  of  Israel  from  the  land  of  Mizraim 
by  their  armies.  These  are  they  who  spake  with  Pharoh 
king  of  Mizraim  to  let  the  sons  of  Israel  go  forth  from 
Mizraim :  it  is  Mosheh  and  Aharon. 

And  it  was  in  the  day  when  the  Lord  spake  with 
Mosheh  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  that  the  Lord  spake 
unto  Mosheh,  saying,  I  am  the  Lord :  Speak  with 
Pharoh  king  of  Mizraim  all  that  I  have  said  to  thee. 
But  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  am  heavy 
of  speech,  and  how  will  Pharoh  receive  from  me  ?  But 
the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  See,  I  have  appointed  thee  a 


358  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Master  (rah)  with  Pharoli,  and  Aharon  shall  be  thy 
interpreter  ( methurgeman ).  Thou  shalt  speak  all  that 
I  have  commanded  thee,  and  Aharon  thy  brother  shall 
speak  with  Pharoh  to  send  away  the  sons  of  Israel  from 
his  land.  And  I  will  harden  the  heart  of  Pharoh,  and 
will  multiply  My  signs  and  wonders  in  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  But  Pharoh  will  not  receive  from  you ;  and 
I  will  give  forth  the  stroke  of  My  power  upon  Mizraim, 
and  will  bring  out  My  host,  My  people,  the  sons  of 
Israel,  from  the  land  of  Mizraim  by  great  judgments. 
And  the  Mizraee  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  when 
I  uplift  the  stroke  of  My  power  upon  Mizraim,  and 
bring  forth  the  sons  of  Israel  from  among  them.  And 
Mosheh  and  Aharon  did  as  the  Lord  commanded  them, 
so  did  they.  And  Mosheh  was  the  son  of  eighty  years, 
and  Aharon  the  son  of  eighty  and  three  years,  in  their 
speaking  with  Pharoh. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  saying, 
When  Pharoh  shall  speak  to  you,  saying,  Produce  a 
sign,  thou  shalt  say  to  Aharon,  Take  thy  rod,  and  throw 
it  down  before  Pharoh,  and  it  shall  become  a  serpent 
(i tanina ,  Heb.,  tanin,  a  long  creature,  whether  serpent 
or  crocodile.  T.).  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  in  unto 
Pharoh,  and  did  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  them. 
Aharon  threw  down  his  rod  before  Pharoh  and  before 
his  servants,  and  it  became  a  serpent.  And  Pharoh 
called  for  the  wise  men  and  the  magicians ;  and  they 
also,  the  Mizraite  magicians,  did  so  by  their  enchant¬ 
ments.  They  cast  down  every  man  his  rod,  and  they 
became  serpents;  but  the  rod  of  Aharon  swallowed  up 
their  rods.  And  PharolPs  heart  was  hardened,  and  he 
would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had  said. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  The  heart  of  Pharoh 
is  obdurate  (heavy)  :  he  is  unwilling  to  send  the  people 
away.  Go  unto  Pharoh  in  the  morning;  behold,  he 


ON  EXODUS. 


859 


VII.] 


goeth,  forth  to  the  waters,  and  stand  to  meet  him  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  and  the  rod  that  was  turned  to  a 
serpent  (« ohevja ,  Heb.,  nachash)  take  in  thy  hand ; 
and  say  to  him,  The  Lord  God  of  the  Jehudaee  hath 
sent  me  to  thee,  saying,  Release  My  people,  that  they 
may  serve  before  Me  in  the  desert;  and,  behold,  thou  hast 
not  yet  acceded.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  By  this  thou 
shalt  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  :  Behold,  with  the  rod 
that  is  in  my  hand  I  smite  the  water  of  the  river,  and  it 
shall  be  turned  to  blood :  and  the  fish  which  are  in  the 
river  shall  die,  and  the  river  become  putrid,  and  the 
Mizraee  try  in  vain  to  drink  the  water  from  the  river. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  Say  to  Aharon, 
Take  thy  rod,  and  lift  up  thy  hand  over  the  waters  of 
the  Mizraee,  upon  their  rivers,  upon  their  canals,  and 
upon  their  lakes,  and  upon  all  their  reservoirs  of  water, 
that  they  may  become  blood ;  and  there  shall  be  blood 
in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  in  vessels  of  wood  and 
in  vessels  of  stone.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  did  so, 
as  the  Lord  commanded;  and  he  lifted  the  rod,  and 
struck  the  waters  of  the  river,  in  the  sight  of  Pharoh, 
and  in  the  eyes  of  his  servants,  and  all  the  waters  of  the 
river  were  turned  into  blood.  And  the  fish  of  the  river 
died,  and  the  river  became  putrid ;  and  the  Mizraee 
could  not  drink  of  the  water  of  the  river,  and  there  was 
blood  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  the  magicians 
did  so  with  their  enchantments ;  and  Pharoh's  heart  was 
hardened,  and  he  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord 
had  said.  And  Pharoh  turned  and  entered  into  his 
house;  neither  did  he  set  his  heart  also  unto  this. 
And  all  the  Mizraee  digged  by  the  bending  of  the  river 
for  water  to  drink ;  for  the  water  which  was  in  the  river 
they  could  not  drink. 

And  seven  days  were  fulfilled  after  that  the  Lord  had 
struck  the  river ;  and  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in 


360  TARGTJM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

unto  Pliaroh  and  say  to  him,  Thus  saith  the  Lord : 
Send  away  My  people,  that  they  may  serve  before  me. 
But  if  thou  refuse  to  send  them  away,  behold,  I  will 
smite  all  thy  borders  with  frogs,  and  the  river  shall 
multiply  frogs ;  and  they  shall  come  up  and  enter  into 
thy  house,  and  into  thy  chamber  the  place  of  sleep,  and 
Upon  thy  bed,  and  into  the  house  of  thy  servants,  and 
among  thy  people,  and  into  thy  ovens  and  thy  kneading 
pans ;  and  upon  thee  and  upon  thy  people  and  upon  all 
thy  servants  shall  the  frogs  come  up.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Mosheh,  Say  to  Aharon,  Uplift  thy  hand  with 
thy  staff  upon  the  streams,  upon  the  rivulets,  and  upon 
the  lakes ;  and  the  frogs  shall  come  up  on  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  Aharon  lifted  up  his  hand  over  the 
waters  of  the  Mizraee,  and  the  frogs  came  up  and 
covered  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  the  magicians  did 
so  with  their  enchantments,  and  made  frogs  to  come  up 
on  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Pliaroh  called  Mosheh 
and  Aharon,  and  said,  Pray  before  the  Lord  that  the 
frogs  may  be  removed  from  me  and  from  my  people ; 
and  I  will  release  the  people,  that  they  may  sacrifice 
before  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  said  to  Pliaroh,  Demand 
for  thyself  a  miracle,  and  appoint  me  a  time8  when  I 
shall  pray  for  thee,  and  for  thy  servants  and  thy  people, 
that  the  frogs  may  be  finished  from  thee  and  from  thy 
house,  and  remain  only  in  the  river.  And  he  said,  To¬ 
morrow.  And  he  said,  According  to  thy  word ;  that 
thou  mayest  know  that  there  is  none  as  the  Lord  our 
God.  And  the  frogs  shall  be  removed  from  thee  and 
from  thy  house  and  thy  servants  and  thy  people ;  in  the 
river  only  shall  they  remain.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon 
went  out  from  Pliaroh ;  and  Mosheh  prayed  before  the 
Lord  concerning  the  frogs  which  he  had  appointed  unto 
Pliaroh.  And  the  Lord  did  according  to  the  words  of 

3  Sam.  Yers.,  "Decide  for  me,”  or,  “over  me.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


361 


vii  r.] 

Mosheh ;  and  the  frogs  died  from  the  houses,  and  from 
the  courts,  and  from  the  fields.  And  they  gathered 
them  in  heaps  (upon)  heaps,  and  they  corrupted  upon 
the  ground.  And  Pliaroh  saw  that  there  was  relief ; 
and  hardened  his  heart,  and  would  not  hearken  to  them, 
as  the  Lord  had  said. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  Say  unto  Aharon, 
Lift  up  thy  rod  and  smite  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  it 
shall  become  insects,4  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim. 
And  they  did  so.  And  Aharon  lifted  up  his  hand  with  the 
rod  and  smote  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  it  became  insects 
on  man  and  on  cattle ;  all  the  dust  of  the  earth  became 
insects  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  the  magicians 
wrought  so  with  their  enchantments  to  produce  the 
insects,  but  were  not  able ;  and  there  were  insects  on 
man  and  on  beast.  And  the  magicians  said  to  Pharoh, 
This  is  a  plague  from  before  the  Lord.  Yet  Pharoh's 
heart  was  hardened,  and  he  would  not  hearken  to  them, 
as  the  Lord  had  said. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Arise  in  the  morning 
and  stand  before  Pharoh ;  behold,  he  goeth  out  to  the 
waters ;  and  say  to  him,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Send  My 
people  away,  that  they  may  serve  before  Me.  Por  if 
thou  wilt  not  send  My  people  away,  behold,  I  will  send 
on  thee,  and  on  thy  servants,  and  on  thy  people,  and 
upon  thy  houses,  the  aroba ; 5  and  they  shall  fill  the 
houses  of  the  Mizraee  with  the  aroba;  and  also  the 
ground  on  which  they  are.  But  I  will  make  a  distinc¬ 
tion  in  that  day  with  the  land  of  Goshen  where  My 
people  dwell,  that  the  aroba  shall  not  be  there ;  so  that 
thou  mayest  know  that  I  the  Lord  do  rule  in  the  midst 
of  the  earth.  And  I  will  ordain  redemption  to  My 

4  “  Poisonous  flies.”  Kalmetha ,  Onk.  Ciniphes,  Skniphes,  LXX. 

8  Heb.,  Arob  ;  probably  beetles, — blatta  JEgyptica,  a  formidable  and 
voracious  insect. 

R 


362  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

people,  but  upon  thy  people  shall  be  the  plague.  To¬ 
morrow  shall  this  sign  be.  And  the  Lord  did  so ;  and 
the  aroba  came  with  strength  into  the  house  of  Pharoh, 
and  into  the  house  of  his  servants,  and  into  all  the  land 
of  Mizraim;  and  the  land  was  destroyed  before  the 
aroba. 

And  Pharoh  called  for  Mosheli  and  Aharon,  and  said, 
Go,  sacrifice  before  your  God  in  the  land.  But 
Mosheh  said,  It  will  not  be  fitting  to  do  so ;  because 
the  animals  which  the  Mizraee  worship  we  shall  take  to 
sacrifice  before  the  Lord  our  God.  Behold,  should  we 
immolate  the  animal  which  the  Mizraee  worship,  would 
they  not  stone  us  when  they  saw  it  ?  A  journey  of 
three  days  will  we  go  into  the  desert,  and  sacrifice 
before  the  Lord  our  God,  as  He  hath  told  us.  And  Pharoh 
said,  I  will  send  you  away,  that  you  may  sacrifice  before 
the  Lord  your  God  in  the  desert ;  only  you  shall  not  go 
farther  and  farther :  pray  also  for  me.  And  Mosheh 
said.  Behold,  I  will  go  out  from  being  with  thee,  and 
will  pray  before  the  Lord,  and  He  will  remove  the  aroba 
from  Pharoh,  and  from  his  servants,  and  his  people,  to¬ 
morrow  ;  only  let  Pharoh  no  more  be  false 6  in  not 
sending  away  the  people  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord. 
And  Mosheh  went  out  from  before  Pharoh,  and  prayed 
before  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  did  according  to  the 
word  of  Mosheh,  and  removed  the  aroba  from  Pharoh 
and  his  servants,  and  his  people;  not  one  remained. 
But  Pharoh  hardened  his  heart  this  time  also,  and 
would  not  dismiss  the  people. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  unto  Pharoh 
and  say  to  him  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
Jehudaee;  Send  My  people  away,  that  they  may  serve 
before  Me  :  for  if  thou  refuse  to  send  them  away, — and 
thou  hast  kept  them  until  now, — behold,  a  plague  from 
6  “  Add  to  lie.”  So  also  the  Sam.  Vers. 


ON  EXODUS. 


363 


IX.] 

before  the  Lord  shall  be  upon  thy  cattle  which  are  in 
the -field;  upon  the  horses,  upon  the  asses,  upon  the 
camels,  upon  the  oxen,  and  upon  the  sheep,  a  very 
great  death.  But  the  Lord  will  make  distinction 
between  the  cattle  of  Israel  and  the  cattle  of  the  Miz- 
raee  ;  and  of  all  that  the  children  of  Israel  possess 
not  one  shall  die.  And  the  Lord  set  a  time,7 
saying,  To-morrow  will  the  Lord  do  this  thing  in  the 
land.  And  the  Lord  did  that  thing  on  the  following 
day,  and  all  the  cattle  of  the  Mizraee  died ;  but  of  the 
cattle  of  the  sons  of  Israel  died  not  one.  And  Pharoh 
sent,  and,  behold,  not  one  of  the  cattle  of  the  sons  of 
Israel  had  died.  And  PharolTs  heart  was  hardened, 
and  he  would  not  send  the  people  away. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  Take  you 
handfuls  of  dust  of  the  furnace,  and  let  Mosheh  scatter 
it  towards  the  heavens  in  the  presence  of  Pharoh ;  and 
it  will  be  like  fine  powder  upon  all  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
and  it  shall  be  upon  man  and  beast  an  inflammation 
growing  into  ulcers  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
they  took  the  dust  of  the  furnace  and  stood  before 
Pharoh;  and  Mosheh  scattered  it  towards  the  heavens, 
and  it  became  an  inflammation  of  ulcers  multiplying  on 
man  and  beast.  And  the  magicians  could  not  stand 
before  Mosheh,  on  account  of  the  disease ;  for  the 
disease  was  upon  the  magicians  and  upon  all  the 
Mizraee.  And  the  Lord  obdurated  the  heart  of  Pharoh, 
and  he  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had 
said  to  Mosheh. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Kise  up  in  the  morn¬ 
ing  and  stand  before  Pharoh,  and  say  to  him,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the  Jehudaee,  Send  My 
people  away,  that  they  may  serve  before  Me :  for  at  this 
time  I  will  send  all  My  plagues  upon  thy  heart,  and 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  appointed  a  testimony.” 

B.  2 


364  TARGTTM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

upon  thy  servants  and  thy  people,  that  thou  mayest 
know  that  there  is  no  one  like  Me,  the  Euler  in  all  the 
earth.  E or  now  it  is  nigh  before  Me  to  send  indeed  My 
strong  plagues,  and  smite  thee  and  thy  people  with 
death,  and  cut  thee  off  from  the  earth.  Eor  therefore 
have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  may  show  thee  My  power, 
and  that  they  may  acknowledge  the  might  of  My 
name  in  all  the  earth.  Until  now  hast  thou  kept  My 
people  down,8  that  thou  mayest  not  release  them. 
Behold,  I  will  cause  to  come  down,  as  at  this  time  to¬ 
morrow,  hail  most  mighty,  the  like  of  which  hath  never 
been  in  Mizraim  from  the  day  that  it  was  founded  until 
now.  And  now,  send,  gather  in  thy  cattle  and  all  that 
thou  hast  in  the  field ;  for  upon  every  man  and  beast 
that  may  be  found  in  the  field  not  gathered  into  the 
house  the  hail  will  fall,  and  they  shall  die.  Who  feared 
the  word  of  the  Lord  among  the  servants  of  Pharoh 
collected  his  servants  and  his  cattle  unto  the  houses; 
but  he  who  did  not  set  his  heart  upon  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  left  his  servants  and  his  cattle  in  the  field. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Uplift  thy  hand 
towards  the  heavens,  and  there  shall  be  hail  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim  upon  man,  and  beast,  and  every  herb 
of  the  field  throughout  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Mosheh  lifted  up  the  rod  towards  the  heavens,  and  the 
Lord  sent  thunders,  (voices,)  and  hail,  and  fire  going 
upon  the  ground :  and  the  Lord  rained  hail  upon  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  and  there  was  hail,  and  fire  flaming 
among  the  hail,  very  mighty,  such  as  the  like  of  had 
not  been  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  since  the  time  it 
had  been  for  a  people.  And  the  hail  smote  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim  all  that  was  in  the  field  from  man  to 
cattle,  and  every  herb  of  the  field  the  hail  struck,  and 
every  tree  of  the  field  it  brake.  Only  in  the  land  of 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  hast  dealt  deceitfully  with.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


IX.] 


365 


Goshen,  where  the  sons  of  Israel  were,  there  was  no 
hail. 

And  Pharoh  sent  and  called  for  Mosheh  and  Aharon, 
and  said  to  them,  I  have  sinned  this  time;  the  Lord  is 
righteous,  and  I  and  my  people  are  guilty.  Pray  before 
the  Lord  that  relief  may  be  multiplied  before  Him,  so 
that  there  may  be  upon  us  no  more  thunders  of  maledic¬ 
tion  like  these  before  the  Lord,  nor  hail;  and  I  will 
send  you  away,  and  will  not  continue  to  detain  you. 
And  Mosheh  said  to  him,  When  I  shall  have  gone  out 
of  the  city,  I  will  spread  forth  my  hands  in  prayer 
before  the  Lord,  and  the  thunders  shall  cease,  and  there 
shall  be  no  more  hail,  that  you  may  know  that  the 
earth  is  the  Lord's.  But  (as  for)  thee  and  thy  ser¬ 
vants,  I  know  that  as  yet  ye  are  not  humbled  before  the 
Lord  God.  And  the  flax  and  the  barley  were  smitten, 
because  the  barley  was  earing,  and  the  flax  was  in 
flower :  but  the  wheat  and  the  spelt  were  not  smitten, 
for  they  were  later.  And  Mosheh  went  out  of  the  city 
from  Pharoh,  and  spread  forth  his  hands  in  prayer 
before  the  Lord,  and  the  thunders  ceased,  and  the  hail 
and  the  rain  which  had  descended  came  not  (more) 
upon  the  earth.  And  Pharoh  saw  that  the  rain  had 
ceased,  and  the  hail  and  the  thunders,  and  he  added 
yet  to  sin,  and  hardened  his  heart,  he  and  his  servants. 
And  the  heart  of  Pharoh  was  hardened,  and  he  would 
not  send  away  the  sons  of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  had 
spoken  by  the  hand  of  Mosheh. 


366 


TARGUM  OP  ONKELOS 


CHAP. 


SECTION  XY. 

BO  EL  PHAROH. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  unto  Pharoh ; 
for  I  have  hardened  his  heart,  and  the  heart  of  his  ser¬ 
vants,  to  set  these  My  signs  among  them ;  and  that 
thou  mayest  relate  before  thy  son  and  the  son  of  thy 
son  the  miracles  which  I  wrought  in  Mizraim  and  the 
signs  that  I  did  set  among  them,  that  ye  may  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon 
entered  unto  Pharoh,  and  said  to  him.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  the  God  of  the  Jehudaee,  Until  now  thou 
hast  obstinately  refused  to  humble  thyself  before  Me ; 
send  My  people  away,  that  they  may  serve  Me.  For 
if  thou  refuse  to  release  My  people,  behold,  to-morrow 
I  will  bring  the  locust  into  thy  borders,  and  he  shall 
cover  the  eye  of  the  sun  of  the  earth,  (or,  shall  hide  the 
sun  (which  is)  the  eye  of  the  earth,9)  so  that  it  will  not 
be  possible  to  see  the  ground ;  and  he  will  devour  the 
residue  which  hath  been  spared  (saved)  and  that  hath 
been  reserved  to  you  from  the  hail,  and  will  devour 
every  tree  which  groweth  up  for  you  from  the  field ; 
and  they  shall  fill  thy  house,  and  the  houses  of  thy 
servants,  and  the  houses  of  all  the  Mizraee,  which  thy 
fathers  have  not  seen,  nor  the  fathers  of  thy  fathers, 
from  the  day  they  were  upon  the  earth  until  this  day. 
And  he  turned  and  went  out  from  Pharoh. 

And  the  servants  of  Pharoh  said  to  him,  How  long 
shall  this  man  be  an  injury  (stumbling-block)  to  us? 
Send  the  men  away,  that  they  may  serve  before  the 
Lord  their  God.  Knowest  thou  not  yet  that  Mizraim 
hath  perished  ?  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  were  made 
to  return  unto  Pharoh ;  and  he  said  to  them,  Go,  serve 
9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  shall  cover  the  appearance  of  the  earth.*’ 


ON  EXODUS. 


367 


X.] 

before  the  Lord  your  God  :  (but)  who  and  who  shall  go  ? 
And  Mosheh  said,  With  our  young  ones  and  with  our 
old  men  will  we  go ;  with  our  sons  and  with  our  daughters, 
with  our  sheep  and  with  our  oxen,  will  we  go ;  for  we 
have  a  feast  before  the  Lord.  And  he  said  to  them,  So 
be  the  Word  of  the  Lord  in  your  help  when  I  send  you 
away  and  your  little  ones  :  beware,  for  the  evil  that  you 
are  thinking  to  do  will  be  turned  against  your  faces. 
Not  so :  but  let  the  men  go  and  serve  before  the  Lord ; 
for  it  was  that  which  you  demanded.  And  they  were 
driven  from  before  Pharoh. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Lift  up  thy  hand  over 
the  land  of  Mizraim,  that  the  locusts  may  come,  and  go 
up  on  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  devour  every  herb  of  the 
earth,  even  all  which  the  hail  hath  left.  And  Mosheh 
stretched  forth  his  rod  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and 
the  Lord  led  an  east  wind  upon  the  land  all  that  day  and 
all  the  night ;  at  morn  the  east  wind  barre  the  locust. 
And  the  locust  came  up  on  all  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
and  abode  in  all  the  boundary  of  Mizraim  exceedingly 
strong.  Before  him  the  locust  had  never  been  like  him, 
nor  afterward  will  he  be  so ;  and  he  covered  the  eye  of 
the  sun  of  all  the  earth,  and  the  earth  was  darkened ; 
and  he  devoured  every  herb  of  the  ground,  and  all  the 
fruit  of  the  trees  which  the  hail  had  left ;  and  there  did 
not  remain  any  green  on  the  trees  nor  herbage  of  the 
field  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Pharoh  made 
haste  to  call  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  and  said,  I  have 
sinned  before  the  Lord  your  God,  and  you.  And  now, 
forgive  my  sin  only  this  time,  and  intercede  before  the 
Lord  your  God,  that  He  may  remove  from  me  only  this 
death.  And  they  went  out  from  Pharoh,  and  prayed 
before  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  turned  a  west  wind 
exceedingly  strong,  and  it  carried  the  locust  and  drave 
him  into  the  sea  of  Suph,  nor  did  one  locust  remain  in 


868 


TARGUM  OP  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

all  the  border  of  Mizraim.  Yet  the  heart  of  Pharoh  was 
hardened,  and  he  would  not  send  the  sons  of  Israel 
away. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Uplift  thy  hand 
towards  heaven,1  and  there  shall  be  darkness 3  upon  the 
land  of  Mizraim  after  the  darkness  of  the  night  hath 
passed  away.  And  Mosheh  lifted  up  his  hand  towards 
heaven,  and  there  was  darkness  of  darkness  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim  three  days  :  a  man  saw  not  his  brother, 
nor  did  any  man  rise  up  from  his  place,  three  days. 
Yet,  all  the  sons  of  Israel  had  light  in  their  dwellings. 
And  Pharoh  called  Mosheh  and  said.  Go,  serve  before 
the  Lord ;  only  leave  your  sheep  and  your  oxen,  your 
little  ones  also  may  go  with  you.  But  Mosheh  said. 
Thou  must  give  into  our  hands  also  the  holy  victims 
and  holocausts,  that  we  may  serve  before  the  Lord  our 
God.  Our  cattle  too  shall  go  with  us,  and  there  shall 
not  remain  any  thereof ;  for  of  it  we  must  take  to  serve 
the  Lord  our  God,  and  we  know  not  with  what  we  have 
to  do  service  before  Him  until  we  come  thither.  But  the 
Lord  hardened  Pharoh's  heart,  and  he  was  not  willing 
to  send  them  away.  And  Pharoh  said  to  him,  Go  from 
me.  Beware  for  thyself.  See  my  face  no  more ;  for  in 
the  day  that  thou  seest  my  face  thou  shalt  die.  And 
Mosheh  said,  Thou  hast  spoken  well.  I  will  see  thy 
face  no  more. 

But  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Yet  one  plague  will  I 
bring  upon  Pharoh  and  upon  Mizraim ;  after  which  he 
will  send  you  hence.  When  sending  away  he  thoroughly 
driving  will  drive  you  from  hence.  Speak  now  before 
the  people  of  Israel  that  a  man  shall  require  of  his  com¬ 
panion,  and  a  woman  of  her  companion,  vessels  of  silver 

1  Al  tsaith  shemaya,  “  towards  the  height  of  the  heavens.”  Sam, 
Vers.,  “  towards  the  height.” 

3  Sam.  Vers.,  “  That  darkness  may  be  brought.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


369 


XII.] 


and  vessels  of  gold.  And  the  Lord  gave  the  people 
favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Mizraee ;  also  the  man  Mosheh 
was  very  great  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  in  the  eyes  of 
the  servants  of  Pharoh  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  people. 

And  Mosheh  said,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  At  the  dividing 
of  the  night  I  will  be  revealed  in  the  midst  of  Mizraim, 
and  all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  shall  die; 
from  the  firstborn  of  Pharoh  who  would  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  his  kingdom,  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  woman- 
servant  who  is  behind 3  the  mills,  and  all  the  firstborn 
of  cattle.  And  there  shall  be  a  great  cry  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  the  like  of  which  hath  not  been,  nor 
will  be  the  like  of  it  again.  But  any  one  of  the  sons  of 
Israel  no  dog  will  hurt  even  with  his  tongue  by  barking, 
from  man  and  to  beast,  so  that  you  shall  know  that  the 
Lord  hath  distinguished  between  the  Mizraee  and  Israel. 
And  all  these  thy  servants  shall  come  down  to  me,  and 
beseech  of  me,  saying,  Go  forth,  thou  and  all  thy  people 
who  are  with  thee :  and  after  that  I  will  go  forth.  And 
he  went  out  from  Pharoh  with  vehement  anger. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Pharoh  will  not  hearken 
to  you;  therefore  will  I  multiply  My  wonders  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  wrought 
all  these  wonders  before  Pharoh ;  but  the  Lord  hardened 
Pharoh's  heart,  that  he  would  not  send  the  children  of 
Israel  from  his  land. 

XII.  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh  and  Aharon  in 
the  land  of  Mizraim,  saying,  This  month  shall  be  to  you 
the  beginning  of  the  months ;  the  first,  it  shall  be  to  you, 
of  the  months  of  the  year.  Speak  with  all  the  congre¬ 
gation  of  Israel,  saying,  In  the  tenth  of  this  month 
they  shall  take  to  them  every  man  a  lamb  for  the 
house  of  a  father,  a  lamb  for  the  house.  And  if  the 
house  be  smaller  than  the  numbering  (required)  for  the 
3  Some  copies,  “  who  is  in  the  house  of  the  mills.’* 

Ei  5 


370  TAUGUM  OP  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

lamb,  let  him  take  himself,  and  his  neighbour  who  is 
nearest  to  his  house,  according  to  the  number  of  the 
souls,  every  man  according  to  the  mouth  of  his  eating 
shall  you  count  over  the  lamb.  The  lamb  shall  be 
perfect,  a  male,  the  son  of  a  year ;  it  shall  be  to  you ; 
from  the  sheep  or  from  the  goats4  you  may  take  it. 
And  you  shall  have  it  in  keeping  till  the  fourteenth  day 
of  this  month,  and  the  whole  church  (kehala)  of  the 
congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill  him  between  the  suns. 
And  they  shall  take  of  the  blood,  and  apply  it  upon  the 
two  posts  and  upon  the  lintel  of  the  houses  in  which 
they  eat  him.  And  they  shall  eat  the  flesh  in  that  night 
roasted  with  fire,  and  (with)  unleavened  cake  with  bitters 
you  shall  eat  him.  You  shall  not  eat  of  it  while  living, 
neither  boiled  with  boiling  in  water,  but  roasted  with 
fire ;  his  head  with  his  feet  and  his  inwards.  And  you 
shall  not  leave  of  it  till  the  morning ;  and  that  which 
remains  of  it  till  morning  you  shall  burn  in  the  fire. 
And  thus  shall  you  eat  it ;  with  your  loins  girded,  with 
your  sandals  on  your  feet,  and  your  staves  in  your  hands, 
and  you  shall  eat  it  in  haste;  it  is  the  Pascha  before  the 
Lord.  And  I  will  appear  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  in 
that  night,  and  will  kill  every  firstborn  in  the  land  from 
man  unto  beast,  and  on  all  the  idols  of  Mizraim  I  will 
execute  judgment :  I  am  the  Lord.  And  the  blood 
shall  be  for  you  a  sign  upon  the  houses  where  you  are ;  and 
I  will  see  the  blood,  and  will  have  mercy  upon  you,  and 
there  shall  not  be  among  you  the  destruction  of  death 
when  I  slay  in  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  this  day 
shall  be  to  you  for  a  memorial,  and  you  shall  solemnize 
it  a  festival  before  the  Lord  in  your  generations ;  an 
everlasting  ordinance  (covenant)  shall  you  solemnize  it. 
And  on  the  first  day  there  shall  be  an  holy  congregation, 
and  on  the  seventh  day  an  holy  congregation  shall  there 
4  Other  copies,  "  from  the  sons  of  the  goats.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


371 


XII.] 

be  to  you.  Every  kind  of  work  may  not  be  done  in 
them ;  save  what  pertains  to  the  eating  of  every  soul, 
that  only  may  be  done  by  you.  And  you  shall  keep  the 
(feast  of  the)  Unleavened ;  for  on  this  very  day  shall  I 
have  brought  your  hosts  out  of  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and 
you  shall  keep  this  day  to  all  your  generations  for  ever.5 
In  Nisan,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month  in  the  even¬ 
ing  you  shall  eat  unleavened,  until  the  twenty  and  first  of 
the  month  in  the  evening.  Seven  days  leaven  shall  not 
be  found  in  your  houses ;  for  whosoever  will  eat  of  that 
which  is  leavened,  that  man  shall  perish  from  the  con¬ 
gregation  of  Israel,  of  the  stranger,  or  of  the  native  of 
the  land.  You  shall  eat  no  leavened  (food),  in  all  your 
dwellings  you  shall  eat  unleavened. 

And  Mosheh  called  for  all  the  elders  of  Israel, 
and  said  to  them,  Draw  out,  and  take  to  you  from 
the  sons  of  the  flock  for  your  families,  and  kill  the 
pascha.  And  you  shall  take  a  bundle  of  hyssop  and 
dip  it  in  the  blood  that  is  in  the  basin,  and  sprinkle 
upon  the  lintel  and  the  two  posts  from  the  blood  which 
is  in  the  basin ;  and  you  shall  not  go  forth  from  the 
door  of  your  house 6  until  the  morning.  Eor  the  Lord 
will  be  revealed  to  smite  the  Mizraee ;  and  seeing  the 
blood  upon  the  lintel  and  upon  the  two  posts,  the  Lord 
will  be  merciful  upon  the  door,  and  will  not  suffer  the 
Destroyer  (or  destruction)  to  enter  your  houses  to 
smite.  And  you  shall  observe  the  thing  for  an  ordi¬ 
nance  to  thee  and  to  thy  sons  for  ever.  And  it  shall 
be,  when  you  have  entered  into  the  land  which  the 
Lord  will  give  you  as  He  hath  said,  that  you  shall  (still) 
keep  this  service.  And  it  shall  be,  when  your  children 
say  to  you.  What  is  this  service  to  you  ?  you  shall 
say,  It  is  a  sacrifice  for  compassion  before  the  Lord, 

8  Other  copies,  “  an  everlasting  ordinance  in  all  your.” 

9  Other  copies,  “  any  man  from  the  door  of  his  house.” 


372  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

because  He  had  compassion  on  the  house  of  the  sons  of 
Israel  in  Mizraim,  when  He  smote  the  Mizraee,  but 
spared  our  houses.  And  the  people  bowed  and  wor¬ 
shipped.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  went  and  did  as  the 
Lord  had  commanded  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  so  did 
they. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  dividing  of  the  night  that 
the  Lord  slew  all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Mizraim ; 
from  the  firstborn  of  Pharoh  who  should  sit  on  the 
throne  of  his  kingdom  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  captive 
in  the  house  of  the  chained,  and  all  the  firstborn  of 
cattle.  And  Pharoh  rose  up  in  that  night,  and  all  his 
servants  and  all  the  Mizraee ;  and  there  was  a  great  cry 
in  Mizraim,  because  there  was  no  house  in  which  there 
was  not  the  dead.  And  he  cried  to  Mosheh  and  to 
Aharon  by  night,  and  said.  Arise,  go  out  from  among 
my  people,  you  and  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  go  and  serve 
before  the  Lord,  as  you  have  said.  Your  flocks  and 
your  herds  take  also,  as  you  have  spoken,  and  go,  and 
.pray  also  for  me.  And  the  Mizraee  were  forcible  on 
the  people  to  hasten  to  send  them  away ;  for  they  said, 
All  of  us  are  dead.  And  the  people  took  their  dough 
while  not  leavened,  remaining  in  the  kneading  pans, 
bound  with  their  clothes  upon  their  shoulders.  And 
the  children  of  Israel  did  according  to  the  word  of 
Mosheh,  and  demanded  of  the  Mizraee  vessels  of  silver, 
and  vessels  of  gold,  and  raiment.  And  the  Lord  gave 
the  people  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Mizraee,  and  they 
demanded  of  them,  and  left  the  Mizraee  empty.7 

And  the  children  of  Israel  journeyed  from  Ramases 
to  Succoth  ;  about  six  hundred’  thousand  men  on  foot, 
besides  children  (or  families) ;  and  a  multitude  of 
strangers  also  went  up  with  them,  and  flocks  and  herds 
and  very  much  cattle.  And  they  baked  the  dough 

7  Sam.  Vers.,  “  stripped.” 


ON  EXODU3. 


373 


XIII.] 

which  they  had  brought  out  from  Mizraim  (into) 
unleavened  cakes ;  for  it  had  not  been  leavened,  because 
they  had  been  driven  out  from  Mizraim  and  could  not 
stay,  and  they  had  not  made  provision.  And  the 
dwelling  of  the  sons  of  Israel  in  their  abode  in  Mizraim 
(was)  four  hundred  and  thirty  years.  And  it  was  at 
the  end  of  four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  in  that  same 
day,  that  all  the  hosts  of  the  Lord  went  forth  from  the 
land  of  Mizraim.  It  is  a  night  to  be  kept  before  the 
Lord  for  bringing  them  forth  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim :  this  is  that  night  before  the  Lord  kept  by  all 
the  children  of  Israel  in  their  generations. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh  and  to  Aharon,  This 
is  the  rite  of  the  Pascha.  Every  son  of  Israel  who 
apostatizes  shall  not  eat  of  it ;  but  every  male  servant 
bought  with  silver,  and  thou  hast  circumcised  him,  may 
eat  thereof.  A  sojourner  and  a  hireling  shall  not  eat 
thereof.  In  one  company  it  shall  be  eaten.  You  shall 
not  carry  any  of  the  flesh  from  the  house  without,  and 
a  bone  shall  not  be  broken  in  him.  All  the  congrega¬ 
tion  of  Israel  shall  do  this.  And  when  the  sojourner 
who  sojourneth  with  thee  will  perform  the  pascha 
before  the  Lord,  every  male  of  his  shall  be  circumcised, 
and  he  may  then  approach  and  perform  it ;  he  shall  be 
as  one  born  in  the  land,  but  none  uncircumcised  shall 
eat  of  it.  One  law  shall  there  be  for  the  native  and  for 
the  proselyte  who  sojourneth  among  you.  And  all 
the  children  of  Israel  did  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Mosheh  and  Aharon,  so  did  they.  And  it  was  on  the 
same  day  that  the  Lord  led  forth  the  sons  of  Israel 
from  the  land  of  Mizraim  by  their  armies. 

XIII.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying, 
Sanctify  unto  Me  all  the  firstborn.  Every  one  which 
openeth  the  womb  among  the  children  of  Israel,  of  man 
and  of  beast,  that  is  Mine.  And  Mosheh  said  to  the 


374  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

people,  Remember  this  day,  in  which  you  went  forth 
from  Mizraim  from  the  house  of  servitude ;  for  with  a 
mighty  hand  hath  the  Lord  brought  you  forth  from 
thence ;  and  you  shall  not  eat  what  is  leavened.  This 
day  have  you  come  out,  in  the  month  of  Abiba.  And 
it  shall  be  when  the  Lord  hath  led  thee  into  the  land  of 
the  Kenaanaee  and  Hittaee  and  Emoraee  and  Hivaee 
and  Jebusaee,  which  He  covenanted  to  thy  fathers  to 
give  thee,  a  land  producing  milk  and  honey,  that  thou 
shalt  perform  this  service  in  this  month.  Seven  days 
thou  shalt  eat  the  ( pkatira )  unleavened  cake,  and  in  the 
seventh  day  solemnize  a  feast  before  the  Lord.  The 
unleavened  cake  thou  shalt  eat  seven  days ;  that  which 
is  leavened  shall  not  be  seen  with  thee ;  the  leavened 
thing  shall  not  be  seen  with  thee  in  all  thy  limits. 
And  thou  shalt  teach  thy  son  on  that  day,  saying,  (It 
is)  on  account  of  that  which  the  Lord  did  for  me  in 
bringing  me  out  of  Mizraim.  And  it  shall  be  a  sign  to 
thee  on  thy  hand,  and  for  a  memorial  between  thine 
eyes,  that  the  Law  of  the  Lord  may  be  in  thy  mouth, 
for  that  with  a  mighty  hand  did  the  Lord  bring  thee 
forth  from  Mizraim  :  and  thou  shalt  keep  this  ordinance 
in  its  season  from  time  to  time. 

And  it  shall  be,  when  the  Lord  hath  brought  thee 
into  the  land  of  the  Kenaanaee,  as  He  sware  to  thee  and 
to  thy  fathers,  and  hath  given  it  to  thee,  that  thou  shalt 
make  over  whatsoever  openeth  the  womb  before  the 
Lord  ;  among  the  cattle  which  thou  hast  the  male  shall 
be  consecrate  before  the  Lord.  And  every  firstling  of 
an  ass  thou  shalt  ransom  with  a  lamb ;  but  if  thou  wilt 
not  ransom  it,  thou  shalt  destroy  it ;  and  every  firstborn 
of  man  among  thy  children  thou  shalt  ransom.  And 
it  shall  be,  when  thy  son  shall  ask  thee  to-morrow,  say¬ 
ing,  Why  is  this  ?  thou  shalt  say  to  him.  By  a  mighty 
hand  the  Lord  brought  us  out  of  Mizraim  from  the 


ON  EXODUS. 


375 


XIII.] 

house  of  servitude.  And  it  was  when  Pharoh  was 
obdurate  about  letting  us  go  away  that  the  Lord  slew 
all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  from  the  first¬ 
born  of  man  to  the  firstborn  of  cattle  :  therefore  I  sacri¬ 
fice  before  the  Lord  of  all  that  openeth  the  womb,  the 
males,  and  all  the  firstborn  of  my  children  I  ransom. 
And  it  shall  be  for  a  sign  upon  thy  hand  and  for 
Tephillin  between  thine  eyes,  because  with  a  mighty 
hand  hath  the  Lord  brought  thee  out  of  Mizraim. 


SECTION  XYI. 

BESHALLACH. 

And  it  was  when  Pharoh  had  sent  the  people  away, 
that  the  Lord  led  them  not  by  the  way  of  the  land  of 
the  Philistaee  because  it  was  the  nearest :  for  the  Lord 
said,  Lest  the  people  be  terrified  at  the  seeing  of  war, 
and  return  to  Mizraim.  But  the  Lord  led  the  people 
round  by  the  way  of  the  desert  to  the  sea  of  Suph ; 
and  harnessed  (or  girded)  went  the  sons  of  Israel  up 
out  of  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  brought  up 
the  bones  of  Joseph  with  him;  for  he  had  adjured  the 
sons  of  Israel  with  an  oath,  saying,  Kemembering,  the 
Lord  will  remember  you,  and  you  shall  carry  up  my 
bones  from  hence.  And  they  journeyed  from  Sukkoth, 
and  encamped  in  Etham,  which  is  beside  the  desert. 
And  the  Lord  went  before  them  by  day  in  the  column 
of  the  cloud  to  lead  them  in  the  way,  and  by  night  in 
the  column  of  fire  to  enlighten  them,  that  they  might 
go  in  the  day  and  in  the  night.  The  column  of  the 
cloud  by  day,  nor  the  column  of  the  fire  by  night, 
departed  not  before  the  people. 


376 


TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[CHAP. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  Speak  with 
the  sons  of  Israel  that  they  return  and  encamp  before 
Pum  Hiratha,  between  Migdol  and  the  sea,  before  Beel 
Zephon :  you  shall  encamp  before  it  by  the  sea.  And 
Pharoh  will  say  of  the  children  of  Israel,  They  are 
bewildered  in  the  land,  the  desert  hath  got  hold  of 
them  : 8  and  I  will  harden  Pharoh's  heart,  and  he  will 
pursue  them ;  and  I  will  be  glorified  in  Pharoh  and  in 
all  his  host ;  and  the  Mizraee  shall  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord.  And  they  did  so.  And  it  was  seen  by  the  king 
of  Mizraim  that  the  people  had  gone.  And  the  heart 
of  Pharoh  and  of  his  servants  was  turned  to  the  people ; 
and  they  said,  What  is  this  that  we  have  done,  that  we 
have  sent  Israel  away  from  serving  us  ?  And  he  set 
his  chariot  in  order,  and  took  his  people  with  him. 
He  took  also  six  hundred  select  chariots,  and  all  the 
chariots  of  the  Mizraee,  and  appointed  strong  men  over 
them.  And  the  Lord  hardened  the  heart  of  Pharoh 
king  of  Mizraim,  and  he  pursued  after  the  children  of 
Israel.  But  the  children  of  Israel  went  forth  with 
uncovered  head.  And  the  Mizraee  followed  after  them, 
and  overtook  them  while  encamping  by  the  sea ;  all  the 
chariot  horses  of  Pharoh,  and  his  horsemen,  and  his 
army,  by  Pum  Hiratha  which  is  before  Beel  Zephon. 
And  Pharoh  drew  nigh,  and  the  sons  of  Israel  lifted  up 
their  eyes,  and,  behold,  the  Mizraee  were  coming  after 
them  :  and  they  were  greatly  afraid,  and  the  children 
of  Israel  cried  before  the  Lord.  But  to  Mosheh  they 
said,  Was  it  because  there  were  no  graves  in  Mizraim 
that  thou  hast  taken  us  to  die  in  the  wilderness? 
What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  to  bring  us  out  of 
Mizraim?  Was  not  this  the  word  which  we  spake, 
with  thee  in  Mizraim,  saying,  Let  us  alone,  and  we  will 
serve  the  Mizraee  ?  for  better  would  it  have  been  for  us 
8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  hath  covered  them.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


377 


XIV.] 


to  serve  the  Mizraee,  than  to  die  in  the  wilderness.  And 
Mosheh  said  to  the  people,  Pear  not,  stand  still  (or,  be 
ready)  and  see  the  Lord's  deliverance  which  He  will 
work  for  you  this  day ;  for  as  you  have  seen  the 
Mizraee  this  day,  you  will  see  them  no  more  for  ever :  the 
Lord  will  fight  for  you  the  fight,  and  you  shall  be  quiet. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  I  have  heard  thy  prayer. 
Speak  to  the  children  of  Israel  that  they  go  onward : 
and  thou,  take  thy  rod  and  stretch  forth  thy  hand  over 
the  sea,  and  divide  it,  and  the  children  of  Israel  shall  go 
in  the  midst  of  the  sea  on  dry  ground.  And  I,  behold, 
I  will  harden  the  hearts  of  the  Mizraee,  and  they  will  go 
in  after  them ;  and  I  will  be  glorified  by  Pharoh  and  by 
all  his  army,  by  his  chariots  and  his  horsemen ; 9  and 
the  Mizraee  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  have 
been  glorified  by  Pharoh  and  his  chariots  and  his 
horsemen.9 

And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  who  went  before  the  camp 
of  Israel  passed  by  and  came  behind  them ;  and  the 
column  of  the  cloud  passed  from  before  them  and  abode 
behind  them.  And  it  entered  between  the  camp  of  the 
Mizraee  and  the  camp  of  Israel ;  and  was  a  cloud  and 
darkness  to  the  Mizraee,  but  unto  Israel  a  light  all  the 
night :  and  that  came  not  near  to  this  all  the  night. 

And  Mosheh  stretched  forth  his  hand  over  the  sea ; 
and  the  Lord  drave  the  sea  by  a  mighty  east  wind  all 
the  night,  and  caused  the  sea  to  be  dry,  and  the  waters 
were  disparted ;  and  the  children  of  Israel  went  into  the 
midst  of  the  sea  upon  dry  ground ;  and  the  waters  were 
to  them  a  wall10  on  their  right  hand  and  on  their  left. 
And  the  Mizraee  followed  and  entered  in  after  them, 
all  the  horses  of  Pharoh,  and  his  chariots  and  horsemen, 
into  the  midst  of  the  sea.  And  it  was  in  the  morning 
watch  that  the  Lord  looked  upon  the  host  of  the  Mizraee 
9  Sam.  Vers.,  “footmen.”  10  Sam.  Vers.,  “a  munition.” 


378  TARGTJM  OF  ONXELOS  [CHAP. 

from  the  column  of  fire  and  cloud,  and  perturbed  the 
host  of  the  Mizraee.  And  he  removed  the  wheels  of  the 
chariots,  so  that  they  drave  them  by  strength ; 1  and  the 
Mizraee  said,  Let  us  flee  from  before  Israel ;  for  this  is 
the  power  of  the  Lord  which  hath  done  battle  for  them 
against  Mizraim. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand 
over  the  sea,  and  the  waters  shall  return  upon  the 
Mizraee,  upon  their  chariots  and  their  horsemen.  And 
Mosheh  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  sea,  and  the  sea 
returned,  at  the  time  of  the  morning,  unto  its  strength ; 
and  the  Mizraee  fled  before  it ;  and  the  Lord  drowned 
the  Mizraee  in  the  midst  of  the  sea.  And  the  waters 
returned  and  covered  the  chariots  and  horsemen  and  all 
the  host  of  Pharoh  who  had  gone  after  them  into  the 
sea,  and  there  remained  of  them  not  one.  But  the 
children  of  Israel  walked  on  dry  land  in  the  midst  of 
the  sea ;  and  the  waters  were  a  wall  to  them  on  their 
right  hand  and  on  their  left.  And  the  Lord  delivered 
Israel  that  day  from  the  Mizraee,  and  Israel  saw  the 
Mizraee  dead  upon  the  shore  of  the  sea.  And  Israel 
saw  the  Power  of  the  Great  Hand  which  the  Lord  had 
made  (to  appear)  in  Mizraim ;  and  the  people  feared 
before  the  Lord,  and  believed  in  the  Word  of  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  prophetic  (work)  of  Mosheh  His  servant. 

Then  sang  Mosheh  and  the  children  of  Israel  this 
hymn  before  the  Lord;  and  they  spake,  saying,  We 
will  sing  and  give  thanks  before  the  Lord,  because  He 
is  magnified  upon  the  mighty,  and  the  power  is  His 
own ;  the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  cast  into  the  sea. 
My  strength  and  my  song3  is  the  terrible  Lord;  He 
hath  said  by  His  Word  that  He  will  be  mine  to  redeem. 
This  is  my  God,  and  I  will  build  Him  a  sanctuary ;  the 
God  of  my  fathers,  and  I  will  worship  before  Him.  The 
1  Or,  “  with  difficulty.”  2  Sam.  Vers.,  “  my  portion.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


379 


XV.] 

Lord  is  the  Lord  of  Victory  in  battles,  the  Lord  is  His 
Name.  The  chariots  of  Pharoh  and  his  horses  He  hath 
cast  into  the  sea,  his  chosen  warriors  are  drowned  in  the 
sea  of  Suph.  The  depths  covered  them  over,  they  went 
down  to  the  bottom  as  a  stone.  Thy  right  hand,  0  Lord, 
is  illustrious  in  power;  Thy  right  hand,  0  Lord,  shattereth 
the  adversary ;  and  in  the  greatness  of  Thy  might  Thou 
hast  broken  down  them  who  arose  against  Thy  people. 
Thou  didst  send  forth  Thy  wrath,  and  it  consumed  them 
as  stubble  in  the  flame,  and  by  the  word  of  Thy  mouth 
the  waters,  (as  if)  wise,  stood  up  like  a  wall ;  the  depths 
were  congealed  in  the  heart  of  the  sea.  The  adversary 
said,  I  will  pursue,  I  will  overtake,  I  will  divide  the 
spoil;  my  soul  shall  be  satisfied  upon  them;  I  will 
draw  my  sword,  and  my  hand  shall  destroy  them.  Thou 
didst  speak  by  Thy  Word,  the  sea  covered  them  over, 
they  sank  like  lead  in  the  mighty  waters.  There  is  none 
beside  Thee,  O  God,  (who  art)  glorious  in  holiness, 
fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders.  Thou  didst  uplift 
Thy  right  hand,  the  earth  swallowed  them  up.  Thou 
hast  led  forth  in  goodness  Thy  people  whom  Thou  hast 
redeemed ;  Thou  wilt  bring  them  by  Thy  strength  to  the 
dwelling  of  Thy  holiness.  The  nations  will  hear  it,  and 
be  moved ;  terror  will  seize  on  the  inhabiters  of  Pela- 
sheth ;  then  will  the  princes  of  Edom  be  alarmed,  the 
strong  ones  of  Moab  will  be  seized  with  trembling,  and 
they  who  dwell  in  Kenaan  will  be  broken  down.  Fear 
and  dread  will  fall  upon  them,  by  the  greatness  of  Thy 
power  they  will  be  silent  as  a  stone,  until  Thy  people,  O 
Lord,  pass  over  Arnona,  until  Thy  people  whom  Thou 
hast  redeemed  pass  over  Jardena.  Thou  wilt  bring 
them  in,  and  cause  them  to  dwell  in  the  mountain  of 
Thine  inheritance,  in  the  place  wrhich  Thou  hast  ordained 
for  the  house  of  Thy  Shekina,  the  sanctuary  which  Thy 
hands,  O  Lord,  have  prepared.  The  kingdom  of  the 


380  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Lord  endureth  for  ever,  and  for  ever,  evermore !  Because, 
when  the  horses  of  Pharoh  with  his  chariots  and  his 
horsemen  had  entered  into  the  sea,  the  Lord  caused  the 
waters  of  the  sea  to  return  upon  them,  and  the  children 
of  Israel  walked  upon  dry  land  in  the  midst  of  the  sea. 

And  Miriam  the  prophetess,  the  sister  of  Aharon,  took 
the  timbrel  in  her  hand,  and  all  the  women  went  out 
after  her  with  timbrels  and  choruses.  And  Miriam 
answered  them  :  Sing  and  give  thanks  before  the  Lord, 
for  He  hath  magnified  Himself  upon  the  proud :  and 
the  majesty  belongeth  (only)  unto  Him ;  the  horse  and 
his  rider  hath  He  cast  into  the  sea. 

And  Mosheh  caused  Israel  to  remove  from  the  sea  of 
Suph,  and  they  went  forth  into  the  desert  of  Chagra, 
and  went  three  days  in  the  desert,  but  found  no  water. 
And  they  came  to  Marah,  and  could  not  drink  the 
waters  of  Marah  because  they  were  bitter;  therefore  he 
called  the  name  of  it  Marah.  And  the  people  were 
fretful  against  Mosheh,  saying,  What  shall  we  drink  ? 
And  he  prayed  before  the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord  instructed 
him  (in  the  properties  of)  a  tree,  and  he  cast  it  into  the 
waters,  and  the  waters  became  sweet.  There  decreed  He 
a  statute,  and  a  judgment,  and  there  He  tried  him.  And 
He  said,  If  hearkening  thou  wilt  hearken  unto  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  wilt  do  what  is  right  in  His 
eyes,  and  wilt  listen  to  His  precepts  and  keep  all  His 
statutes,  none  of  the  maladies  which  I  have  set  upon 
Mizraim  will  I  put  upon  thee ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
Healer. 

And  they  came  to  Elim,  and  there  were  twelve  wells 
of  water  and  seventy  palm  trees ;  and  they  encamped 
there  before  the  waters.  And  they  journeyed  from  Elim, 
and  came,  the  whole  assembly  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  to  the 
desert  of  Sin,  which  is  between  Elim  and  Sinai,  on  the 
fifteenth  day  of  the  second  month  from  their  outgoing 


ON  EXODUS. 


381 


XVI.] 

from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  all  the  congregation  of 
the  children  of  Israel  were  troublous  against  Moslieh  and 
against  Aharon  in  the  desert ;  and  the  children  of  Israel 
said  to  them,  0  that  we  bad  died  before  the  Lord  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  when  we  sat  by  the  caldrons  of  flesh, 
and  could  eat  bread  and  be  satisfied !  Why  have  you 
brought  us  out  into  this  wilderness  to  kill  this  whole 
assembly  with  famine  ? 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Behold,  I  will  cause 
bread  to  come  down  to  you  from  heaven;  and  the  people 
shall  go  out  and  collect  the  matter  of  the  day  for  the 
day;  that  I  may  prove  them  whether  they  will  walk  in 
My  law,  or  not.  And  in  the  sixth  day,  when  they 
prepare  that  which  they  bring  in,  it  shall  be  two  for  one 
upon  what  they  collect  from  day  to  day.  And  Mosheh 
and  Aharon  said  to  all  the  children  of  Israel,  In  the 
evening  you  shall  know  that  the  Lord  brought  you  out 
of  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  in  the  morning  shall  you 
see  the  Glory  of  the  Lord ;  for  your  tumults  are  heard 
before  the  Lord :  and  we — what,  that  you  are  restive 
against  us?  And  Mosheh  said,  When  the  Lord  will 
give  you  at  evening  flesh  to  eat,  and  bread  in  the 
morning  to  satisfy,  while  are  heard  before  the  Lord 
your  tumults  against  Him !  Bor  what  are  we  ?  your 
tumults  are  not  against  us,  but  against  the  Word  of  the 
Lord.  And  Mosheh  said  to  Aharon,  Bid  all  the  con¬ 
gregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel  to  come  together  before 
the  Lord ;  for  your  tumult  is  heard  before  the  Lord.3 
And  it  was,  while  Aharon  was  speaking  with  all  the 
congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  that  they  turned 
towards  the  desert,  and,  behold,  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
was  revealed  in  the  cloud. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  The 
tumult  of  the  children  of  Israel  is  heard  before  Me. 

3  Other  copies,  “  before  Him.” 


382  TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Speak  with  them  to  say,  Between  the  evenings  you  shall 
eat  flesh,  and  in  the  morning  be  satisfied  with  bread, 
and  you  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God. 
And  it  was  in  the  evening  that  the  quails  came  up  and 
covered  the  camp ;  and  in  the  morning  a  dew  descended 
round  about  the  camp ;  and  when  the  dew  which  had 
fallen  had  gone  up,  behold,  upon  the  face  of  the  desert, 
a  small  (substance)  without  covering,4  small  like  hoar 
frost,  heaped  on  the  earth.  And  the  sons  of  Israel 
saw,  and  said,  a  man  to  his  brother,  Mana-hu !  for  they 
knew  not  what  it  was.  And  Mosheh  said  to  them. 
This  is  the  bread  which  the  Lord  will  give  you  to  eat. 
This  is  the  word  that  the  Lord  hath  commanded  :  Let 
every  man*  gather  of  it  according  to  his  eating 6  an 
omera  for  every  head  according  to  the  number  of  your 
souls,  a  man  for  those  of  his  tent  shall  you  take.  And 
the  sons  of  Israel  did  so,  and  gathered,  some  more, 
(others)  less ;  and  they  measured  with  an  omera, — and 
he  who  had  (gathered)  much  had  not  more,  and  he  who 
had  (gathered)  little  had  not  less ;  every  man  according 
to  his  eating*  they  gathered.  And  Mosheh  said  to 
them,  No  man  must  leave  of  it  for  the  morning.  But 
they  hearkened  not  to  Mosheh,  but  some  left  for  the 
morning,  and  it  swarmed  worms  and  corrupted.  And 
Mosheh  was  angry  with  them.  And  they  gathered  it 
from  morning  to  morning  a  man  according  to  his 
eating;  and  when  the  sun  grew  hot  on  that  which 
remained  upon  the  face  of  the  field,  it  melted.  And  it 
was  that  on  the  sixth  day  they  gathered  a  double 
(quantity)  of  bread, 7  two  omers  for  one :  and  all  the 
chiefs  of  the  congregation  came  and  showed  Mosheh. 
And  he  said  to  them,  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy 
Shabbath  before  the  Lord.  That  which  you  prepare 

4  Or,  “peeled.”  Sam.  Vers.,  “shining.”  5  Sam.  Vers.,  "ashes.” 

8  Or,  “  the  mouth  of  his  eating.”  7  Or,  “  bread  for  one,  two.” 


XVII.]  ON  EXODUS.  383 

by  baking,  bake,  and  that  which  you  prepare  by  boiling, 
boil,  and  all  the  remainder  lay  up  to  you,  a  store  for 
the  morning.  And  they  laid  it  up  till  the  morning,  as 
Mosheh  had  instructed ;  and  it  did  not  corrupt,  neither 
were  there  worms  in  it.  And  Mosheh  said,  Eat  that  to¬ 
day,  for  this  day  is  Shabbath  before  the  Lord ;  this  day 
you  would  not  find  it  in  the  field.  Six  days  you  shall 
collect  it ;  but  on  the  seventh  day,  the  Shabbath,  there 
will  be  none.  And  it  was  on  the  seventh  day  that  some 
of  the  people  went  out  to  gather,  but  they  found  it  not. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  How  long  will  you  be 
unwilling  to  keep  My  commandments  and  My  laws? 
See,  because  the  Lord  hath  given  you  the  Shabbath  He 
hath  therefore  given  you  on  the  sixth  day  the  bread  for 
two  days ;  let  every  man  dwell  in  his  resting,  and  not 
go  out  from  his  place  on  the  seventh  day.  And  the 
people  reposed  on  the  seventh  day.  And  the  house  of 
Israel  called  the  name  of  it  Manna ;  and  it  was  as  the 
seed  of  Gida  8  white,  and  its  taste  was  like  cake  broiled 
with  honey.  And  Mosheh  said,  This  is  the  word  which 
the  Lord  hath  commanded.  Eill  an  omera  of  it  to  be 
kept  for  your  generations,  that  they  may  see  the  bread 
which  I  made  you  eat  in  the  desert  when  I  brought  you 
forth  from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  said  to 
Aharon,  Take  one  vase,  and*  put  therein  an  omera  full 
of  manna,  and  lay  it  up  before  the  Lord  to  be  preserved 
for  your  generations.  As  the  Lord  commanded,  so  did 
Mosheh ;  and  Aharon  laid  it  up  before  the  Testimony, 
to  keep.  And  the  children  of  Israel  ate  the  manna 
forty  years,  until  they  came  to  the  land  inhabited; 
they  did  eat  the  manna  till  they  came  to  the  confines  of 
the  land  of  Kenaan.  And  one  omera  is  the  tenth  of 
three  seahs. 

XVII.  And  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of 

8  Heb.,  Gid,  “coriander.”  Sam.  Vers.,  “rice.” 


384  TAEGUM  OP  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Israel  journeyed  from  the  desert  of  Sin,  according  to 
their  itinerations  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord;  and  they 
encamped  in  Repliidim :  but  the  people  had  no  water  to 
drink ;  and  the  people  were  contentious  with  Mosheh, 
and  said,  Give  us  water  that  we  may  drink.  And 
Mosheh  said,  Why  do  you  contend  with  me  ?  why  do 
you  tempt  before  the  Lord  ?  But  the  people  thirsted 
there  for  water,  and  the  people  were  turbulent  against 
Mosheh,  and  said,  Why  is  this, — to  have  brought  us 
from  Mizraim,  to  kill  me  and  my  children  and  my  cattle 
with  thirst?  And  Mosheh  prayed  before  the  Lord, 
saying,  What  shall  I  do  with  this  people  ?  Yet  a  little, 
and  they  will  stone  me  !  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh, 
Pass  over  before  the  people,  and  take  with  thee  of  the 
elders  of  Israel,  and  thy  rod  wherewith  thou  didst 
smite  the  river  take  in  thy  hand,  and  go.  Behold,  I 
will  stand  before  thee  there,  upon  the  rock  in  Horeb, 
and  thou  shalt  smite  the  rock,  and  water  shall  come  out 
of  it,  that  the  people  may  drink.  And  Mosheh  did  so 
in  the  eyes  of  the  elders  of  Israel.  And  he  called  the 
name  of  the  place.  Temptation  and  Strife,  because  of 
the  striving  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  because  they 
tempted  before  the  Lord,  saying,  Is  the  Majesty  of  the 
Lord  among  us,  or  not  ? 

And  Amaleq  came,  and  Warred  battle  with  Israel  in 
Rephidim.  And  Mosheh  said  to  Jehoshua,  Choose  for 
us  men,  and  go  forth  and  do  battle  with  Amaleq.  To¬ 
morrow  I  will  stand  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  the  rod 
with  which  the  miracles  are  wrought  from  before  the 
Lord  shall  be  in  my  hand.  And  Jehoshua  did  as 
Mosheh  had  said  to  him,  and  he  did  battle  with 
Amaleq.  And  Mosheh,  Aharon,  and  Hur  ascended  to 
the  top  of  the  hill.  And  it  was  that  when  Mosheh 
lifted  up  his  hand,  the  house  of  Israel  prevailed ;  and 
when  he  let  down  his  hand,  the  house  of  Amaleq 


XVITI.]  ON  EXODUS.  385 

prevailed.  But  the  hands  of  Mosheh  became  heavy, 
and  they  took  a  stone  and  placed  it  under  him,  and  he 
sat  upon  it,  and  Aharon  and  Hur  held  up  his  hands, 
here  one,  and  there  one ;  and  thus  were  his  hands 
stretched  out  in  prayer  until  the  going  of  the  sun. 
And  Jehoshua  shattered  Amaleq  and  his  people  with 
the  edge  of  the  sword.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh  : 
Write  this  memorial  in  the  Book,  and  set  it  before 
Jehoshua, — That  blotting,  I  will  blot  out  the  memorial 
of  Amaleq  from  under  the  heavens.  And  Mosheh 
builded  an  altar,  and  ministered  upon  it  before  the 
Lord  who  had  wrought  (such)  miracles  for  him.  And 
he  said,  With  an  oath  hath  this  been  declared  from 
before  the  Tearful  One  whose  Shekinah  is  upon  His 
glorious  throne;  that  war  shall  be  waged  with  the 
house  of  Amaleq,  to  destroy  it  from  the  generations  of 
the  world. 


SECTION  XVII. 

YETHRO. 

XVIII.  And  Jethro,  the  rabba  of  Midian,  the 
father-in-law  of  Mosheh,  had  heard  of  all  that  the  Lord 
had  done  for  Mosheh  and  for  Israel  His  people,  and  that 
the  Lord  had  brought  Israel  out  of  Mizraim.  And 
Jethro,  MoshelTs  father-in-law,  took  Zipporah  the  wife 
of  Mosheh,  after  he  had  let  her  go,  and  his  two  sons, 
the  name  of  the  one  Gershom  ;  Eor,  he  said,  I  have  been 
a  sojourner  in  a  strange  land;  and  the  name  of  the 
other  Eliezer ;  Eor  (said  he)  the  God  of  my  fathers  hath 

s 


386  TARGUH  OF  0NKEL08  [CHAP. 

been  my  helper,  and  hath  delivered  me  from  the  sword 
of  Pharoli.  And  Jethro  the  father-in-law  of  Mosheh 
came,  and  his  sons,  and  his  wife,  to  Mosheh  in  the 
desert  where  he  had  encamped  at  the  mountain  upon 
which  was  revealed  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  And  he  had 
told  Mosheh,  I,  thy  father-in-law  Jethro,  come  to  thee 
with  thy  wife,  and  her  two  sons  with  her.  And  Mosheh 
went  forth  to  meet  his  father-in-law,  and  bowed,  and 
kissed  him,  and  each  saluted  the  other  with  peace ;  and 
they  entered  the  tabernacle.  And  Mosheh  recounted 
to  his  father-in-law  all  that  the  Lord  had  done  to 
Pharoh  and  to  Mizraim  for  IsraePs  sake;  and  all  the 
tribulation  that  they  had  found  upon  the  way,  and  how 
the  Lord  had  delivered  them.  And  Jethro  was  glad 
over  all  the  good  which  the  Lord,  who  had  saved  him 
from  the  hand  of  Mizraim,  had  wrought  for  Israel. 
And  Jethro  said.  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath 
delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Mizraee,  and  out 
of  the  hand  of  Pharoh,  and  hath  delivered  the  people 
from  under  the  domination  of  the  Mizraee.  Now  know 
I  that  the  Lord  is  great,  and  that  there  is  no  God  but 
He  for  by  the  thing  by  which  the  Mizraee  had  thought 
to  punish  (judge)  Israel,  they  themselves  are  punished. 
And  Jethro  the  father-in-law  of  Mosheh  offered  a  burnt 
offering  and  sacrificed  holy  things  before  the  Lord. 
And  Aharon  came,  with  all  the  elders  of  Israel,  to  eat 
bread  with  the  father-in-law  of  Mosheh  before  the  Lord. 

And  on  the  day  after,  Mosheh  sat  to  judge  the 
people,  and  the  people  stood  about  Mosheh  from  morn 
till  evening ;  and  the  father-in-law  of  Mosheh  observed 
all  that  he  did  to  the  people.  And  he  said.  What  thing 
is  this  that  thou  art  doing  to  the  people  ?  Why  dost 
thou  sit  alone,  with  all  the  people  standing  about  thee 
from  morn  till  evening?  And  Mosheh  said  to  his 
father-in-law,  Because  the  people  come  to  me  to  ask 


XVIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  387 

instruction  from  before  the  Lord.  When  they  have  (a 
matter)  for  judgment  they  come  to  me,  and  I  adjudicate 
between  a  man  and  his  neighbour,  and  make  them  to 
know  the  statutes  of  the  Lord,  and  His  laws.  But  the 
father-in-law  of  Mosheh  said  to  him,  The  thing  thou  art 
doing  is  not  right ;  with  weariness  thou  wilt  be  weary, 
thou  and  also  this  people  who  are  with  thee;  for  the 
thing  is  too  weighty  for  thee,  thou  art  not  able  to  do  it 
by  thyself.  Now  hearken  to  me,  I  will  give  thee 
counsel,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy  helper. 
Be  thou  for  the  people  the  seeker  of  instruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  to  bring  the  matters  before 
the  Lord :  and  thou  shalt  admonish  them  in  the  statutes 
and  the  laws,  and  make  them  know  the  way  in  which  to 
walk,  and  the  work  that  must  be  done.  And  thou, 
look  out  from  the  whole  people  men  of  ability  who  fear 
the  Lord,  men  of  truth  who  abhor  to  take  mammon ; 
and  superappoint  them  chiefs  of  thousands,  and  chiefs  of 
hundreds,  and  chiefs  of  fifties,  and  chiefs  of  tens.  And 
they  shall  judge  the  people  at  any  time,  and  every  great 
matter  they  shall  bring  to  thee,  but  every  small  thing 
they  shall  judge;  and  they  will  lighten  it  from  thee,  and 
bear  it  with  thee.  If  thou  wilt  do  this,  and  the  Lord 
teach  thee,  thou  wilt  be  able  to  endure,  and  (of)  all  this 
people  (every  one)  will  go  to  his  place  in  peace.  And 
Mosheh  hearkened  to  his  father-in-law,  and  did  all  that 
he  had  said.  And  Mosheh  chose  men  of  ability  from 
all  Israel,  and  appointed  them  heads  over  the  people; 
chiefs 9  of  thousands,  chiefs  of  hundreds,  chiefs  of  fifties, 
and  chiefs  of  tens ;  and  they  judged  the  people  at  all 
times ;  a  weighty  thing  they  brought  to  Mosheh,  and 
every  minor  thing  they  judged  themselves.  And 
Mosheh  sent  his  father-in-law  away,  and  he  went  unto- 
his  land. 


9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  scribes.” 
s  2 


388  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

XIX.  In  the  third  month 1  of  the  outgoing  of  the 
sons  of  Israel  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  on  that  day 
came  they  to  the  desert  of  Sinai.  And  they  journeyed 
from  Rephidim,  and  came  to  the  desert  of  Sinai,  and 
dwelt  there  by  the  side  of  the  mountain.  And  Mosheh 
ascended  before  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  called  to  him 
from  the  mount,  saying.  As  thus  thou  shalt  speak  to  the 
house  of  Jakob,  and  show  to  the  sons  of  Israel :  You 
have  seen  what  I  did  to  the  Mizraee,  and  how  I  bare 
you  as  on  eagles’  wings,  and  brought  you  nigh  to  serve 
Me :  and  now,  if  hearkening  you  will  hearken  to  My 
Word,  and  will  keep  My  covenant,  you,  before  Me,  shall 
be  more  beloved  than  all  peoples ;  for  all  the  earth  is 
Mine.  And  you,  before  Me,  shall  be  kings  (and)  priests, 
a  holy  people.  These  are  the  words  which  thou  shalt 
speak  with  the  sons  of  Israel.  And  Mosheh  came,  and 
called  the  elders  2  of  the  people,  and  set  all  these  words 
in  order  before  them,  as  the  Lord  had  instructed  him. 
And  all  the  people  responded  together,  and  said,  All 
that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do.  And  Mosheh 
brought  back  the  words  of  the  people  before  the  Lord. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Behold,  I  will  be  revealed 
to  thee  in  the  darkness  of  the  cloud,  that  the  people  may 
hear,  in  My  speaking  with  thee,  and  also  that  they  may 
confide  in  thee  for  ever.  And  Mosheh  showed  the 
words  of  the  people  before  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Mosheh,  Go  unto  the  people  and  prepare  them, 
to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  let  them  purify 3  their 
clothing ;  and  be  ready  for  the  third  day ;  for  on  the 
third  day  the  Lord  will  be  revealed  in  the  eyes  of  all  the 
people  upon  mount  Sinai.  And  thou  shalt  set  a  limit 
for  the  people  round  about,  saying,  Beware  you  of  going 
up  on  the  mountain,  or  of  approaching  the  border  of  it. 
Whoever  approaches  the  mountain,  slain  he  shall  be 
1  Sivan.  *  Sam.  Vers.,  “  wise  men.”  8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  make  white.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


389 


XIX.] 

slain.  No  hand  shall  touch  him;  for  stoned  he  shall  be 
stoned,  or  pierced  he  shall  be  pierced ;  whether  beast 
or  man,  he  shall  not  live.  When  the  trumpet  is  pro¬ 
longed  they  shall  be  allowed  to  go  forward  to  the  mount. 
And  Mosheh  came  down  from  the  mountain  unto  the 
people,  and  prepared  the  people,  and  they  made  white 
their  clothes.  And  he  said  to  the  people.  Be  ready  on 
the  third  day,  approach  not  to  a  woman.  And  it  was 
the  third  day  4  at  morning;  and  there  were  voices,  and 
lightnings,  and  mighty  clouds  upon  the  mountain,  and 
the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceedingly  strong ;  and  all  the 
people  trembled  who  were  in  the  camp.  And  Mosheh 
led  forth  the  people  out  of  the  camp  to  meet  the  Word 
of  the  Lord ;  and  they  stood  at  the  lower  parts  of  the 
mount.  And  the  mountain  of  Sinai  was  altogether 
fuming  from  before  the  revelation  of  the  Lord  upon  it 
in  fire ;  and  the  smoke  went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a 
furnace,  and  the  whole  mount  trembled  greatly.  But 
when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  went  forth  and  became 
exceedingly  strong,  Mosheh  spake,  and  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord  he  was  answered  by  a  voice.  And  the 
Lord  was  revealed  upon  mount  Sinai,  on  the  head  of 
the  mountain ;  and  the  Lord  called  Mosheh  unto  the 
head  of  the  mount ;  and  Mosheh  went  up.  And  the 
Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  down,  warn  the  people  lest 
they  break  through  before  the  Lord  to  see,  and  many  of 
them  fall.  And  let  the  priests  also,  who  are  to  minister 
before  the  Lord,  sanctify  themselves,  lest  the  Lord  slay 
them.  And  Mosheh  spake  before  the  Lord,  The  people 
are  not  able  to  come  up  to  mount  Sinai ;  for  Thou  hast 
warned  us,  saying,  Set  a  boundary  to  the  mountain,  and 
sanctify  it.  But  the  Lord  said  to  him.  Go,  descend, 
and  come  up,  thou  and  Aharon  with  thee ;  but  let  not 
the  priests  nor  the  people  break  through  to  come  up 
4  Sixth  of  Sivan. 


390  TAEGU M  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

before  the  Lord,  lest  He  slay  them.  And  Mosheh  went 
down  to  the  people,  and  spake  with  them. 

XX.  And  the  Lord  spake  all  these  words,  saying,  I 
am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  have  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  out  of  the  house  of  servitude.  Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  God  beside  Me.  Thou  shalt  not 
make  to  thee  image  nor  likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in 
the  heavens  above,  nor  in  the  earth  beneath,  nor  in  the 
waters  under  the  earth :  thou  shalt  not  worship  them 
nor  serve  them;  for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous 
God  ;  visiting  the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the  rebellious 
children,  unto  the  third  generation  and  to  the  fourth 
generation  of  those  who  hate  Me ;  while  the  children 
continue  (or  complete)  to  sin  after  their  fathers ;  but 
doing  good  to  thousands  of  generations  of  those  who 
love  Me  and  keep  My  commandments.  Thou  shalt  not 
swear  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  vainly ;  for  the 
Lord  will  not  acquit  him  who  sweareth  in  His  Name 
with  falsity.  Remember  the  day  of  Shabbatha  to 
sanctify  it.  Six  days  shalt  thou  do  service  and  do  all 
thy  work ;  but  the  seventh  day  is  Shabbath  before  the 
Lord  thy  God.  Thou  shalt  not  do  every  work ;  thou, 
nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  servant  nor  thy 
handmaid,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  sojourner  who  is  in 
thy  city.5  Tor  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  the  seas  and  all  that  is  in  them,  and 
rested  on  the  seventh  day ;  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed 
the  day  of  Shabbatha,  and  sanctified  it.  Honour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  be  prolonged 
upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  to  thee. 
Thou  shalt  not  kill  life.  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  testify 
against  thy  neighbour  a  testimony  of  falsehood.  Thou 
shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour’s  house ;  thou  shalt  not 
5  Sam.  Vers.,  “thy  cities.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


391 


XX.] 

covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,  nor  his  servant,  nor  his 
handmaid,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is 
thy  neighbour's. 

And  all  the  people  saw  the  thunders,  and  the  flames, 
and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain 
smoking;  and  the  people  saw,  and  trembled,  and  stood 
afar  off.  And  they  said  to  Mosheh,  Speak  thou  with 
us,  and  we  will  hearken ;  but  let  it  not  be  spoken  to  us 
from  before  the  Lord,  lest  we  die,  Aud  Mosheh  said 
to  the  people,  Fear  not ;  for  that  He  may  prove  you  He 
hath  revealed  to  you  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  that 
His  fear  may  be  before  your  face,  that  you  may  not  sin. 
And  the  people  stood  afar  off,  but  Mosheh  drew  nigh  to 
the  darkness  where  was  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Thus  shalt  thou  speak 
to  the  children  of  Israel;  You  have  seen  that  I  have 
spoken  to  you  from  the  heavens.  You  shall  not  make 
before  Me  idols  of  silver,  neither  idols  of  gold  shall  you 
make  to  you.  An  altar  of  earth  shalt  thou  make 
before  Me,  and  shalt  sacrifice  upon  it  thy  burnt  offer¬ 
ings  and  thy  sanctified  victims,  thy  sheep  and  thy  oxen. 
In  every  place  where  I  may  cause  My  Shekinah  to 
dwell,  thither  will  I  send  My  blessing,  and  will  bless 
thee.  And  if  thou  wilt  make  Me  an  altar  of  stone 
before  Me,  thou  shalt  not  build  it  with  hewn  stones, 
lest  thou  lift  up  thy  cutting-tool 6  upon  it  and  profane 
it.  And  thou  shalt  not  ascend  by  steps  to  My  altar, 
that  thy  nakedness  may  not  be  discerned  upon  it. 

6  Lit.,  “  thy  sword.” 


39  Z 


TAEGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

MISHPATIM. 

And  these  are  the  judgments  which  thou  shalt  set  in 
order  before  them.  When  thou  dost  purchase  a  ser¬ 
vant,  a  son  of  Israel,  six  years  he  shall  serve,  and  in 
the  seventh  go  forth  free,  for  nothing.  If  he  came  in  alone, 
he  shall  go  out  alone ;  if  the  husband  of  a  wife,  his 
wife  shall  go  out  with  him.  If  his  master  have  given 
him  a  wife,  and  she  have  borne  him  sons  or  daughters, 
the  wife  and  the  children  are  the  master's,  and  he  shall 
go  out  alone.  But  if  the  servant  saying  shall  say,  I 
love  my  master,  my  wife  and  my  children,  I  will  not 
go  out  free;  his  master  shall  bring  him  before  the 
judges,  and  shall  take  him  to  the  door,  even  to  the 
post,  and  his  master  shall  bore  his  ear  with  an  awl ; 
and  he  shall  be  to  him  a  working  servant  for  ever. 

And  when  a  man  selleth  his  daughter  to  be  a  hand¬ 
maid,  she  shall  not  go  out  as  at  the  outgoing  of  the 
men  servants.  If  she  be  evil  in  the  eyes  of  the  master 
who  had  covenanted  with  her  to  be  his,  then  shall  he 
make  her  free;  to  another  man  he  shall  not  have 
ability  to  sell  her  to  domineer  over  her.  And  if  he 
hath  covenanted  her  to  his  son,  after  the  custom  of  the 
daughters  of  Israel  shall  he  act  towards  her.  And  if 
he  take  another  to  him,  her  food,  her  raiment,  and  her 
marriage  due  he  shall  not  restrain.  And  if  these  three 
he  doth  not  perform  to  her,  he  shall  release  her  freely 
without  money. 

Whosoever  striketh  a  man  and  killeth  him,  being 
killed  he  shall  be  killed.  But  if  it  was  not  (done) 
covertly  to  him,  but  he  was  delivered  into  his  hand 


ON  EXODUS. 


393 


XXI.] 

from  before  the  Lord,  then  I  will  appoint  thee  a  place 
whither  he  may  flee.  But  when  a  wicked,  man  acts 
toward  his  neighbour  with  deceitfulness  to  kill  him, 
even  from  Mine  altar  thou  shalt  bring  him  awray  to  put 
him  to  death.  Whosoever  striketh  his  father  or  his 
mother  shall  be  surely  put  to  death.  And  whosoever 
stealeth  a  soul  of  the  house  of  Israel  and  selleth  him, 
or  if  he  be  found  in  his  hand,  shall  be  surely  put  to 
death.  And  he  who  curseth  his  father  or  his  mother 
shall  surely  be  put  to  death.  And  when  men  contend, 
and  a  man  smiteth  his  neighbour  with  a  stone  or  with 
his  fist,  and  he  die  not,  but  fall  upon  his  bed ; — if  he 
rise  (again)  and  wralk  about  upon  his  staff,  he  who 
smote  him  shall  be  acquitted ;  only  he  shall  make  good 
his  loss  of  labour,  and  defray  the  charge  of  the 
physician. 

And  when  a  man  smiteth  his  servant  or  his  hand¬ 
maid  with  a  staff,  and  he  die  under  his  hand,  con¬ 
demned  he  shall  be  condemned.  But  if  he  survive  one 
day,  or  two,  he  shall  not  be  condemned,  because  he  was 
his  money.  If  men  contending  strike  a  woman  with 
child  and  she  miscarry,  but  die  not,  fined  he  shall  be 
fined,  as  the  husband  of  the  woman  may  set  upon  him, 
and  he  shall  give  according  to  the  sentence  of  judg¬ 
ment.  But  if  death  take  place,  thou  shalt  give  life  for 
life,  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  hand  for  hand,  foot  for 
foot,  burning  for  burning,  wmund  for  wound,  bruise  for 
bruise.  And  if  a  man  smite  the  eye  of  his  servant  or 
his  handmaid  and  destroy  it,  he  shall  let  him  go  free, 
for  the  sake  of  his  eye.  Or  if  he  beat  out  (cause  to 
fall)  a  tooth  of  his  servant  or  a  tooth  of  his  handmaid, 
he  shall  let  him  go  free  for  the  sake  of  his  tooth. 

If  an  ox  gore  a  man  or  woman  unto  death,  the  ox 
being  stoned  shall  be  stoned,  and  his  flesh  must  not  be 
eaten ;  but  the  master  of  the  ox  shall  be  acquitted, 
s  5 


394  TAUGUM  01'  0NKEL0S  [CHAP. 

But  if  the  ox  had  gored  in  time  before  (yesterday  and 
the  day  before),  and  it  had  been  attested  to  his  master, 
and  he  not  keeping  him  he  hath  killed  man  or  woman, 
the  ox  shall  be  stoned  and  the  owner  be  put  to  death. 
If  a  fine  of  money7  (if  mammon)  be  laid  upon  him,  he 
may  give  redemption  for  his  life  according  to  all  that  is 
laid  upon  him.  If  the  ox  gore  a  son  or  daughter  of 
Israel,  after  this  judgment  shall  it  be  done  to  him.  If 
an  ox  gore  a  man-servant  or  a  maidservant,  (the  owner) 
shall  give  to  his  master  thirty  sileen  of  silver,  and  the 
ox  shall  be  stoned. 

And  if  a  man  open  a  pit,  or  dig  a  pit,  and  doth  not 
cover  it,  and  an  ox  or  an  ass  fall  therein,  the  master  of 
the  pit  shall  pay  :  he  shall  give  silver  to  his  owner,  and 
the  carcass  shall  be  his  own.  And  if  the  ox  of  one 
man  hurt  a  neighbour's  ox  that  it  die,  they  shall  sell 
the  living  ox  and  divide  the  money ;  and  that  which  is 
dead  they  shall  also  divide.  But  if  it  be  known  that 
the  ox  gored  in  time  past  and  his  owner  did  not  keep 
him  in,  paying  he  shall  pay  ox  for  ox,  and  the  dead  one 
shall  be  his.  If  a  man  steal  an  ox  or  a  lamb,  and  kill 
or  sell  it,  he  shall  repay  five  oxen  for  the  ox,  and  four 
sheep  for  the  lamb. 

XXII.  If  a  thief  be  found  breaking  through,  and  he 
be  smitten  and  die,  there  shall  be  no  blood  due  to  him. 
If  the  eyes  of  witnesses  fall  upon  him,  blood  shall  be 
due  to  him,  paying  he  shall  pay.  If  he  have  nothing, 
he  shall  be  sold  for  his  robbery.  If  the  thing  stolen, 
from  an  ox  to  an  ass,  be  found  in  his  possession,  they 
being  alive,  he  shall  restore  two  for  one.  If  a  man 
make  waste  a  field  or  vineyard,  or  send  his  cattle  to 
consume  another's  field,  the  best  of  his  field  and  the 
best  of  his  vineyard  he  shall  restore.  If  fire  break  out, 
and  it  find  thorns,  so  that  sheaves  or  standing  corn  or 
7  Sam.  Vers.,  "  If  a  price  of  eipiation.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


XXII.] 


395 


the  field  be  consumed,  he  who  kindled  the  fire  paying 
shall  pay. 

When  a  man  giveth  his  neighbour  silver  or  vessels 
to  keep,  and  they  be  stolen  from  the  man's  house ;  if 
the  thief  be  found,  he  shall  repay  double.  If  the  thief 
be  not  found,  the  master  of  the  house  shall  be  brought 
before  the  judges  (to  make  oath)  that  he  hath  not  put 
forth  his  hand  upon  that  which  his  neighbour  had 
delivered  to  him.  Upon  every  matter  of  guiltiness 
about  ox  or  ass  or  lamb,  or  raiment,  or  anything  de¬ 
stroyed  of  which  it  may  be  said,  This  is  it,  the  cause  of 
both  shall  be  brought  before  the  judges,  and  he  whom 
the  judges  shall  condemn  shall  pay  double  to  his  neigh¬ 
bour.  If  a  man  deliver  to  his  neighbour  an  ass  or  an 
ox  or  a  lamb  or  any  cattle  to  keep,  and  it  die,  or  be 
injured,  or  be  carried  away,  no  one  seeing ;  an  oath  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  between  them  that  he  hath  not  put  forth  his 
hand  against  that  which  his  neighbour  had  delivered,  and 
the  owner  shall  accept  the  oath,  and  he  shall  not  repay. 
But  if  it  be  stolen  from  him,  he  shall  repay  its  owner ; 
and  if  it  be  torn,  and  he  bring  witnesses  that  it  was 
torn,  he  shall  not  repay.  And  if  a  man  borrow  of  his 
neighbour  and  it  be  injured  or  die,  the  owner  of  it  not 
being  with  it,  repaying  he  shall  repay.  But  if  the 
owner  be  with  it,  he  shall  not  repay.  If  it  were  hired, 
let  it  be  (considered)  for  its  hire. 

And  if  a  man  seduce  a  virgin  who  is  not  betrothed 
and  lie  with  her,  he  shall  surely  establish  her  to  be  his 
wife.  If  her  father  be  unwilling  to  give  her  to  him,  he 
shall  weigh  down  silver  according  to  the  dowry  of 
virgins.  An  enchantress 8  shall  not  live.  Whosoever 
lieth  with  a  beast  shall  be  surely  put  to  death.  Who¬ 
soever  sacrificeth  to  the  idols  of  the  Gentiles  shall  be 
put  to  death  : — but  to  the  Name  of  the  Lord  alone, 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  a  pythoness.” 


396  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

And  a  stranger  thou  shalt  not  trouble  nor  oppress ; 
for  you  were  sojourners  in  the  land  of  Mizraim. 
Afflict  not  the  widow  or  the  orphan :  if  you  indeed 
afflict  them,  and  they  cry  before  Me,  I  will  surely 
hearken  to  their  cry;  and  My  displeasure  shall  be 
strong,  and  will  kill  you  with  the  sword;  and  your 
wives  shall  be  widows  and  your  children  fatherless.  If 
thou  lend  money  to  My  people,  to  the  poor  who  is  with 
thee,  thou  shalt  not  be  to  him  as  an  usurer,9  neither 
shalt  thou  inflict  an  injury  upon  him.  If,  (as)  a 
pledge,  thou  take  thy  neighbour’s  garment,  at  the  going 
away  of  the  sun  thou  shalt  return  it  unto  him.  For  it 
may  be  his  only  covering ;  for  (then)  it  is  the  clothing 
for  his  skin  :  wherein  shall  he  sleep?  And  it  shall  be 
that  when  he  crieth  before  Me  I  will  hearken ;  for  I  am 
merciful. 

Thon  shalt  not  revile  the  judges,  nor  curse  the  ruler 
of  My  people.  Thy  firstfruits  and  thy  tithes  thou  shalt 
not  delay  (to  offer :)  the  firstborn  of  thy  children  thou 
shalt  separate  before  Me;  so  shalt  thou  do  with  thy 
oxen  and  with  thy  sheep.  Seven  days  shall  (the  first¬ 
ling)  be  with  its  mother  ;  on  the  eighth  day  thou  shalt 
separate  it  before  Me.  And  ye  shall  be  holy  men 
before  Me ;  and  the  flesh  torn  from  a  living  animal  you 
may  not  eat ;  you  shall  cast  it  to  the  dogs. 

Thou  shalt  not  take  up  a  false  report,  nor  set  thine 
hand  with  the  wicked  to  be  a  false  witness  for  him. 
Thou  shalt  not  follow  the  many  to  wickedness,  neither 
shalt  thou  fail  to  teach  that  which  in  thine  eyes  is  judg¬ 
ment  ; 1  after  the  many  (majority  ?)  thou  shalt  fulfil 
judgment.  And  upon  the  poor  thou  shalt  not  be 
pitiful  in  judging  him. 

If  thou  meet  the  ox  of  thy  enemy,  or  his  ass,  wan- 

9  Sam.  Vera.,  “  an  exactor.” 

1  Other  copies,  “  what  thou  hast  sought  out  concerning  judgment.” 


XXIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  397 

dering  away,  thou  shalt  surely  bring  it  back  to  him. 
When  thou  seest  thine  enemy’s  ass  prostrate  beneath 
his  burden,  thou  shalt  forbear  from  forsaking  him ; 2 
thou  shalt  surely  abandon  what  is  in  thy  heart  against 
him,  and  shalt  deliver  it  unto  him.  Thou  shalt  not 
warp  the  judgment  of  the  poor  man  in  his  cause. 
From  a  false  matter  keep  distant  ;  and  him  who 
has  been  acquitted  and  has  come  forth  from  judg¬ 
ment  uncondemned  thou  shalt  not  kill ;  for  I  will  not 
justify  the  guilty.  And  thou  art  not  to  receive  a 
bribe ;  for  a  bribe  blinds  the  eyes  of  the  wise,  and 
perverts  the  words  of  the  just.  And  thou  shalt  not 
distress  the  sojourner;  for  you  know  the  mind  of  a 
sojourner ;  for  you  were  dwellers  in  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

Six  years  thou  shalt  sow  the  land  and  gather  in  its 
produce,  but  the  seventh  year  thou  shalt  let  it  alone 
and  suffer  it  to  rest,  that  the  poor  of  thy  people  may 
eat,  and  what  they  leave  the  beast  of  the  field  may  eat. 
So  also  shalt  thou  do  with  thy  vineyard  and  with  thy 
olive  ground.  Six  days  shalt  thou  do  thy  work,  and  in 
the  seventh  day  have  rest,  that  thy  ox  and  thy  ass  may 
rest,  and  the  son  of  thine  handmaid  and  thy  sojourner 
may  be  quiet.  And  of  all  that  I  have  spoken  to  you 
be  mindful,  and  the  name  of  the  idols  of  the  Gentiles 
remember  not ;  let  it  not  be  heard  upon  thy  lips. 

Three  times  thou  shalt  solemnize  festival  before  Me 
in  the  year.  Thou  shalt  keep  the  festival  of  unlea¬ 
vened  bread.  Seven  days  shalt  thou  eat  unleavened 
cake,  as  I  have  commanded  thee,  in  the  time  of  the 
moon  of  Abiba,  for  therein  you  went  forth  from  Miz¬ 
raim  ;  and  you  shall  not  appear  before  Me  empty.  And 
the  festival  of  harvest,  the  first  fruits  of  thy  labours 
which  thou  hast  sowed  in  thy  fields ;  and  the  festival  of 
gathering,  at  the  end  of  the  year  when  thou  gatherest 
2  Sam.  Vers.,  “  wilt  thou  turn  away  to  abandon  him  ?  ” 


398  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

in  thy  labours  from  the  field.  Three  times  in  the  year 
shall  all  thy  males  appear  before  the  Lord,  the  Euler  of 
the  world.  Thou  shalt  not  offer  with  unleavened  bread 
the  blood  of  My  pascha,  neither  shall  the  fat  of  the 
sacrifice  of  the  feast  remain  without  on  the  altar  until 
morning.  The  beginning  of  the  first  fruits  of  thy  land 
thou  shalt  bring  into  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  thy 
God.  Thou  shalt  not  eat  flesh  with  milk. 

Behold,  I  send  My  Angel3  before  thee,  to  protect 
thee  in  the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  into  the  place  which 
I  have  prepared.  Take  heed  before  Him,  and  hearken 
to  His  words ;  rebel  not  against  Him,  for  He  will  not 
forgive  your  sins ;  for  in  My  Name  are  His  words. 
For  if  thou  wilt  truly  hearken  to  His  words,  and  do  all 
that  I  shall  speak,  I  will  be  a  foe  to  thy  enemies,  and 
will  afflict  them  that  afflict  thee.  For  My  Angel  shall 
go  before  thee,  and  bring  thee  in,  to  the  Amoraee  and 
Hittaee,  and  Perizaee  and  Kenaanaee,  Hivaee  and 
Jebusaee ;  and  I  will  destroy  them.  Thou  shalt  not 
worship  their  idols,  nor  serve  them,  nor  do  according  to 
their  doings,  but  shalt  utterly  demolish  them,  and  break 
their  images ;  and  you  shall  serve  before  the  Lord  your 
God,  and  He  will  bless  thy  food  and  thy  drink,  and  will 
take  away  grievous  evils  from  among  thee.  There  shall 
be  none  abortive  or  barren  in  thy  land  ;  the  number  of 
thy  days  will  I  complete.  I  will  send  My  terror'before 
thee,  and  will  perturb  all  the  people  among  whom  thou 
shalt  come  to  fight  against  them,  and  I  will  make  all 
thy  adversaries  turn  their  back  before  thee.  I  will  send 
the  hornet  before  thee,  and  it  shall  drive  out  the  Hivaee 
and  Kenaanaee  and  the  Hittaee  from  before  thee.  I 
will  not  expel  them  before  thee  in  one  year,  lest  the 
land  be  made  desolate,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field 
multiply  against  thee.  By  little  and  little  I  will  drive 
3  Sam.  Yers.,  shelachi,  “  my  apostle.” 


XXIV.]  ON  EXODUS.  399 

them  out  before  thee,  until  thou  shalt  be  increased  and 
inherit  the  land.  And  I  will  appoint  thy  boundary 
from  the  sea  of  Suph  unto  the  sea  of  the  Philistaee,  and 
from  the  desert  to  the  river ;  for  I  will  deliver  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land  into  your  hands,  and  thou  shalt 
drive  them  out  before  thee.  Thou  shalt  strike  no 
covenant  with  them  nor  with  their  idols.  They  shall 
not  dwell  in  thy  land,  lest  they  cause  thee  to  commit 
sin  before  Me ;  for  if  thou  serve  their  idols,  it  will  be  a 
stumbling-block  to  thee. 

XXIY.  And  He  said  to  Mosheh,  Come  up  before 
the  Lord,  thou  and  Aharon,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  and 
seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel;  and  they  shall  worship 
at  a  distance.  And  Mosheh  shall  draw  nigh  alone 
before  the  Lord,  but  they  shall  not  draw  nigh,  nor  shall 
the  people  ascend  with  them.  And  Mosheh  came  and 
recited  to  the  people  all  the  words  of  the  Lord  and  all 
the  judgments;  and  all  the  people  answered  with  one 
voice  and  said,  All  the  words  that  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  will  we  do.  And  Mosheh  wrote  ail  the  words 
of  the  Lord.  And  he  arose  in  the  morning,  and 
builded  an  altar  at  the  lower  part  of  the  mountain,  and 
twelve  pillars,  according  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 
And  he  sent  the  firstborn  sons  of  Israel,  and  they 
offered  holocausts,  and  sacrificed  oxen  (as)  consecrated 
victims  before  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  took  half  of  the 
blood  and  set  it  in  basins,  and  half  the  blood  he 
sprinkled  upon  the  altar.  And  he  took  the  Book  of 
the  Covenant,  and  read  before  the  people ;  and  they 
said,  All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do  and 
obey.  And  Mosheh  took  the  blood  and  sprinkled 
it  upon  the  altar  to  propitiate  for  the  people,  and  said, 
Behold  the  Blood  of  the  Covenant  which  the  Lord  hath 
ratified  with  you  upon  all  these  words. 

And  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  and 


400  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel  went  up.  And  they  saw 
the  Glory  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  under  the  throne  of 
His  glory  as  the  work  of  a  precious  stone,  and  as  the 
face  of  heaven  for  its  clearness.  Yet  the  princes  of  the 
sons  of  Israel  were  not  hurt ;  and  they  saw  the  Glory  of 
the  Lord,  and  rejoiced  in  their  sacrifices  which  were 
accepted  with  favour,  as  though  they  had  eaten  and 
drunk.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Come  up  into  My 
Presence  in  the  mountain,  and  be  there,  and  1  will  give 
thee  the  tablets  of  stone,  and  the  law  and  the  precepts, 
as  I  have  written  (them),  that  thou  mayest  teach  them. 

And  Mosheh  arose  and  Jehoshua  his  minister,  and 
Mosheh  ascended  the  mountain  on  which  was  revealed 
the  Glory  of  the  Lord.  But  to  the  elders  he  said, 
Wait  for  us  here  until  we  return  to  you:  and,  behold, 
Aharon  and  Hur  are  with  you :  whosoever  hath  a 
(matter  for)  judgment,  let  him  bring  it  before  them. 
And  Mosheh  ascended  the  mountain,  and  the  cloud 
covered  the  mountain ;  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  dwelt 
upon  Mount  Sinai,  and  the  cloud  enveloped  it  six  days. 
And  He  called  to  Mosheh  on  the  seventh  day  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  cloud.  And  the  appearance  of  the  Glory 
of  the  Lord  was  as  the  appearance  of  devouring  fire  on 
the  summit  of  the  mountain  in  the  eyes  of  the  sons  of 
Israel.  And  Mosheh  entered  into  the  midst  of  the 
cloud,  and  ascended  the  mount;  and  Mosheh  was  in 
the  mount  forty  day  and  forty  nights. 


XXV.] 


ON  EXODUS. 


401 


SECTION  XIX. 

TERUMAH. 

XXV.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying, 
Speak  with  the  sons  of  Israel  that  they  set  apart  before 
Me  a  separated  portion  :  from  every  man  who  is  will¬ 
ing  in  his  heart  thou  shalt  receive  that  which  is  set 
apart.  And  this  is  the  separation  that  thou  shalt  take 
of  them  :  gold,  and  silver  and  brass ;  and  hyacinth, 
and  purple,  and  vermilion,  (lit.,  bright  colour,)  and  fine 
linen,  ( butz ,)  and  hair  of  goats,  and  skins  of  rams  made 
red,  and  skins  of  purple,  and  sittin  woods ;  oil  for  the 
illuminators,  aromatics  for  the  anointing  oil,  and  aro¬ 
matics  for  the  incense;  burilla  stones,  and  stones  that 
may  complete  the  insetting  of  the  ephod  and  the  breast¬ 
plate.  And  they  shall  make  before  me  a  Sanctuary  in 
which  I  will  dwell  among  them.  Altogether  as  I  show 
thee  the  pattern  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  pattern  of  all 
its  vessels,  even  so  shalt  thou  make  them. 

And  they  shall  make  an  Ark  of  sitta  wood ;  two 
cubits  and  a  half  its  length,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half  its 
breadth,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half  its  height.  And  thou 
shalt  cover  it  with  pure  gold  within  and  without,  and 
thou  shalt  make  a  crown  of  gold  upon  it  round  about. 
And  thou  shalt  cast  for  it  four  rings  of  gold,  and  set 
them  upon  its  four  corners,  two  rings  upon  one  side  of 
it,  and  two  rings  upon  its  other  side.  And  thou  shalt 
make  staves  of  sittin  woods,  and  cover  them  with  gold, 
and  shalt  insert  the  staves  in  the  rings  upon  the  sides 
of  the  ark,  that  the  ark  may  be  carried  upon  them.  'In 
the  rings  of  the  ark  shall  be  the  staves,  they  shall  not 
be  removed  therefrom.  And  thou  shalt  place  in  the 
ark  the  Testimony  that  I  will  give  thee. 


402  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Propitiatory  of  pure  gold  ; 
two  cubits  and  a  half  its  length,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half 
its  breadth.  And  thou  slialt  make  two  Kerubin  of 
gold,  beaten  (ductile)  shalt  thou  make  them,  on  the  two 
sides  of  the  propitiatory.  And  thou  shalt  make  one 
keruba  on  this  side  and  one  keruba  on  that  side  of  the 
propitiatory ;  thou  shalt  make  the  kerubin  on  its  two 
sides.  And  the  kerubin  shall  have  their  wings  out¬ 
spreading  above,  overshadowing  the  propitiatory  with 
their  wings ;  and  their  faces  shall  be  opposite  one  to 
another,  towards  the  propitiatory  shall  be  the  faces  of 
the  kerubin.  And  thou  shalt  set  the  propitiatory  upon 
the  Ark  over  above,  and  within  the  ark  shalt  thou  put 
the  Testimony  that  I  will  give  thee.  And  I  will  appoint 
My  Word  (Memra)  with  thee  there;  and  I  will  speak 
with  thee  from  above  the  Propitiatory,  from  between 
the  two  kerubin  that  are  upon  the  Ark  of  the  Testimony, 
all  that  I  may  command  thee  for  the  sons  of  Israel. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Table  of  sittin  woods,  two 
cubits  the  length  of  it,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  and  a 
cubit  and  a  half  its  height.  And  thou  shalt  overlay 
it  with  pure  gold,  and  make  for  it  a  crown  of  gold  round 
about.  And  thou  shalt  make  to  it  a  border,  a  hand- 
breadth  high  round  about,  and  make  a  crown  of  gold  to 
the  border  of  it  round  about.  And  thou  shalt  make 
for  it  four  golden  rings,  and  put  the  rings  upon  the 
four  corners  of  its  four  feet.  Opposite  to  the  border 
shall  be  the  rings  for  the  place  of  the  staves  for  carrying 
the  table.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  staves  of  sittin 
woods,  and  cover  them  with  gold,  that  they  may  carry 
the  table  upon  them.  And  thou  shalt  make  its  dishes 
and  its  vases,  its  vials  and  its  chalices  with  which  the 
libations  are  outpoured,  of  pure  gold  shalt  thou  make 
them.  And  thou  shalt  set  upon  the  table  the  Presence- 
Bread  continually  before  Me. 


XXVI.]  ON  EXODUS.  403 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Candelabrum  ;  of  pure 
ductile  gold  shalt  thou  make  the  candelabrum ;  its  base 
and  its  shaft,  its  cups,  apples,  and  lilies,  of  the  same  shall 
they  be.  And  six  branches  shall  come  out  from  its 
sides,  three  branches  of  the  candelabrum  from  one  side, 
and  three  branches  of  the  candelabrum  on  the  second 
side.  Three  cups  (calyxes)  figured  on  one  branch  with 
apple  and  lily,  and  three  cups  figured  on  one  branch 
with  apple  and  lily,  so  for  the  six  branches  that  come 
out  from  the  candelabrum.  And  upon  the  candelabrum 
shall  be  four  cups,  figurated  with  apples  and  lilies ;  an 
apple  under  the  two  branches  of  this,  and  an  apple 
under  the  two  branches  of  that,  according  to  the  six 
branches  that  come  forth  from  the  candelabrum.  Their 
apples  and  their  branches  shall  be  of  it,  all  beaten  of 
pure  gold.  And  thou  shalt  make  its  seven  lights,  and 
kindle  its  lights  that  they  may  shine  towards  its  face. 
And  its  snuffers  and  shovels  (shall  be  made)  of  pure 
gold.  Of  a  talent  of  pure  gold  shall  he  make  it  and  all 
these  vessels.  And  look  thou,  and  make,  according  to 
their  resemblance  which  was  displayed  in  the  mount. 

XXYI.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  Tabernacle  (of) 
ten  curtains  of  fine  linen  twined,  and  hyacinth,  and 
purple,  and  vermilion,  (and)  figures  of  kerubin,  the  work 
of  the  artificer  shalt  thou  make  them.  The  length  of 
one  curtain  twenty  and  eight  cubits,  and  the  breadth  of 
one  curtain  four  cubits  ;  the  measure  of  all  the  curtains 
shall  be  one.  Five  curtains  shall  be  conjoined  one  with 
another,  and  five  curtains  conjoined  one  with  another. 
And  thou  shalt  make  loops  of  hyacinth  upon  the  edge 
of  one  curtain  in  the  side  on  which  it  is  joined,  and  so 
shalt  thou  do  on  the  border  of  the  second  curtain  in  the 
side  on  which  it  is  joined.  Fifty  loops  shalt  thou  make 
in  the  one  curtain,  and  fifty  loops  shalt  thou  make  in 
the  side  of  the  curtain  which  is  in  the  place  of  the  second 


404  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

coupling,  that  the  loops  may  answer  one  with  another. 
And  thou  shalt  make  fifty  taches  of  gold,  and  loop  the 
curtains  one  with  another  with  the  taches,  that  it  may 
be  one  Tabernacle.  And  thou  shalt  make  curtains  of 
goat's  (hair)  to  stretch  over  the  tabernacle;  eleven 
curtains  thou  shalt  make  them.  The  length  of  one  curtain 
shall  be  thirty  cubits,  and  the  breadth  of  one  curtain 
four  cubits;  of  one  measure  shall  be  the  eleven  curtains. 
And  thou  shalt  loop  five  curtains  together,  and  six 
curtains  together,  and  fold  the  sixth  curtain  against  the 
front  of  the  tabernacle.  And  thou  shalt  make  fifty  loops 
on  the  edge  of  the  one  curtain  where  it  is  conjoined,  and 
fifty  loops  on  the  edge  of  the  curtain  at  the  place  of  the 
second  conjoinment.  And  thou  shalt  make  fifty  taches 
of  brass,  and  introduce  the  taches  into  the  loops,  and 
conjoin  the  tabernacle  that  it  may  be  one.  And  the 
overplus  which  remaineth  of  the  tabernacle  curtains,  the 
half  curtain,  (namely,)  thou  shalt  stretch  over  the  hinder 
side  of  the  tabernacle.  And  the  cubit  on  this  and  the 
cubit  on  that  (side)  which  remain  in  the  length  of  the 
curtains  of  the  tabernacle  shall  be  spread  over  the  sides 
of  the  tabernacle,  here  and  there,  to  cover  it.  And  thou 
shalt  make  a  covering  for  the  tabernacle  of  rams'  skins 
dyed  red,  and  a  covering  of  purple  skins  above.  And 
thou  shalt  make  the  standing-boards  of  the  tabernacle  of 
sittin  woods.  Ten  cubits  the  length  of  one  board,  and  a 
cubit  and  a  half  its  breadth.  Two  tenons  (shall  there 
be)  to  each  board,  fastened  over  against  one  another ; 
so  shalt  thou  make  all  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle.  And 
thou  shalt  make  the  boards  for  the  tabernacle,  twenty 
boards  on  the  southern  side.  And  forty  bases  of  silver 
shalt  thou  make  under  the  twenty  boards;  two  bases 
under  one  board  for  its  two  tenons,  and  two  bases  under 
one  board  for  its  two  tenons.  And  for  the  second  side  of 
the  tabernacle,  on  the  northern  side,  twenty  boards  and 


XXVI.]  ON  EXODUS.  405 

their  forty  sockets  of  silver;  two  sockets  under  one 
board,  and  two  sockets  under  another.  And  for  the 
side  of  the  tabernacle  westward  thou  shalt  make  six 
boards.  And  two  boards  thou  shalt  make  at  the  corners 
of  the  tabernacle  at  their  extremities ;  and  they  shall  be 
united  below  and  likewise  united  at  head  with  one  ring ; 
so  shall  it  be  with  both  of  them  for  the  two  corners. 
And  they  shall  be  eight  boards,  and  their  silver  bases, 
sixteen  bases ;  two  bases  under  one  board,  and  two 
bases  under  the  other  board.  And  thou  shalt  make 
bars  of  sittin  woods,  five  for  the  boards  of  one  side  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  second 
side  of  the  tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  end  side  of 
the  tabernacle  toward  the  west.  And  the  middle  bar 
in  the  midst  of  the  boards  shall  pass  from  end  to  end. 
And  the  boards  thou  shalt  overlay  with  gold,  and  the 
rings  make  thou  of  gold,  the  place  for  the  bars,  and 
cover  the  bars  with  gold.  And  thou  shalt  erect  the 
tabernacle  after  the  manner  of  it  which  hath  been  showed 
thee  on  the  mount. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Veil,  of  hyacinth,  and  purple, 
and  vermilion,  and  fine  linen  twined  with  the  work  of 
the  artificer,  it  shall  be  made,  figured  with  kerubin. 
And  thou  shalt  set  it  upon  four  pillars  of  sittin  covered 
with  gold,  and  their  hooks  shall  be  of  gold  upon  four 
bases  of  silver.  And  thou  shalt  put  the  veil  under  the 
taches,  and  shalt  bring  in  thither  within  the  veil  the 
Ark  of  the  Testament ;  and  the  veil  shall  separate  to  you 
between  the  Holy  and  the  Holy  of  Holies.  And  thou 
shalt  set  the  Mercy  Seat  upon  the  ark  of  the  Testament 
in  the  Holy  of  Holies.  And  place  thou  the  table 
without  the  veil,  and  the  candelabrum  over  against  the 
table  at  the  south  side  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  table 
place  thou  at  the  north  side.  And  thou  shalt  make  a 
curtain  for  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  hyacinth,  and 


406 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

purple,  and  vermilion,  and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work 
of  the  embroiderer;  and  make  for  the  curtain  five  pillars 
of  sittin,  and  overlay  them  with  gold,  and  their  hooks 
shall  be  of  gold ;  and  shalt  set  them  upon  five  bases  of 
brass. 

XXVII.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  Altar  of  sittin 
woods ;  five  cubits  the  length  and  five  cubits  the  breadth  ; 
square  shall  be  the  altar,  and  three  cubits  its  height. 
And  thou  shalt  make  its  horns  upon  its  four  corners ; 
of  the  same  shall  be  its  horns,  and  overlay  it  with  brass. 
And  make  its  pots,  to  collect  the  ashes,  and  its  fire- 
shovels,  and  its  basins,  and  its  flesh-hooks,  and  its 
thuribles,  all  its  vessels  make  thou  of  brass.  And  make 
for  it  a  grate,  a  work  of  netting  of  brass,  and  make  upon 
the  network  four  rings  of  brass  upon  its  four  sides,  and 
place  it  under  the  surrounding  of  the  altar  beneath, 
that  the  net  may  (extend)  to  the  middle  of  the  altar. 
And  make  thou  staves  for  the  altar,  staves  of  sittin  wood, 
and  overlay  them  with  brass ;  and  he  shall  put  the  staves 
into  the  rings,  and  the  staves  shall  be  at  the  two  sides  of 
the  altar  to  carry  it.  Hollow  (with)  boards  make  thou 
it,  according  to  what  was  showed  thee  in  the  mount,  so 
do  thou. 

And  thou  shalt  make  the  Court  of  the  tabernacle  on 
the  side  toward  the  south :  curtains  (shall  there  be)  for 
the  court  of  fine  twined  linen  a  hundred  cubits  in 
length  on  one  side.  And  its  pillars  twenty  and  their 
bases  twenty  of  brass,  the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and  their 
rods  of  silver.  And  so  for  the  north  side  in  length 
(there  shall  be)  curtains  of  a  hundred  cubits  long,  and 
their  columns  twenty  and  their  bases  twenty  of  brass ; 
the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and  their  rods  shall  be  of  silver. 
And  on  the  side  of  the  court  toward  the  west  curtains 
of  fifty  cubits,  their  columns  ten  and  their  bases  ten. 
And  the  breadth  of  the  court  toward  the  east  side  east- 


XXVIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  407 

ward,  fifty  cubits,  and  fifteen  cubits  the  curtains  on  a 
side,  their  columns  three  and  their  bases  three.  And 
on  the  second  side  fifteen  curtains,  their  pillars  three, 
and  their  bases  three.  And  for  the  door  of  the  court 
shall  be  an  hanging  of  twenty  cubits,  of  hyacinth,  and 
purple,  and  vermilion,  and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work 
of  the  embroiderer ;  their  pillars  four  and  their  bases 
four.  All  the  pillars  round  about  the  court  shall  be 
(united)  with  rods  of  silver,  their  hooks  shall  be  of 
silver  and  their  bases  of  brass.  The  length  of  the  court, 
one  hundred  cubits,  and  the  breadth  fifty,  and  the  height 
five  cubits,  of  fine  linen  twined,  and  their  bases  of  brass. 
All  the  vessels  of  the  tabernacle,  and  all  its  service,  and  all 
its  utensils,  and  all  the  pins  of  the  court  shall  be  of 
brass. 


SECTION  XX. 

TETSAVVEH. 

And  thou  shalt  instruct  the  sons  of  Israel  to  bring  to 
thee  the  pure  oil  of  olives,  beaten,  to  illuminate,  that 
the  lamps  may  burn  continually.  In  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance,  without  the  veil  that  is  before  the  testimony, 
Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  set  it  in  order  from  evening  to 
morning  before  the  Lord ;  a  perpetual  statute  for  the 
generations  of  the  sons  of  Israel. 

XXVIII.  And  thou,  bring  to  thee  Aharon  thy 
brother  and  his  sons  with  him  from  among  the  sons  of 
Israel,  that  they  may  minister  before  Me;  Aharon, 
Nadab  and  Abihu,  Elazar  and  Ithamar,  sons  of  Aharon. 
And  thou  shalt  make  the  holy  vestments  for  Aharon  thy 
brother  for  glory  and  for  praise.  And  speak  thou  with 


408  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

all  the  wise  of  heart  whom  I  have  filled  with  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom,  that  they  make  the  vestments  of  Aharon  to 
consecrate  him  to  minister  before  Me.  And  these  are 
the  vestments  which  they  shall  make ;  the  breastplate, 
and  the  ephoda,  and  the  robe,  and  the  inwrought  tunic, 
and  the  mitre,  and  the  girdle ;  and  they  shall  make  holy 
vestments  for  Aharon  thy  brother  and  for  his  sons  to 
minister  before  Me.  And  they  shall  take  the  gold,  and 
the  hyacinth,  and  the  vermilion,  and  the  fine  linen. 

And  shall  make  the  Ephoda  of  gold,  hyacinth,  and 
vermilion,  and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work  of  the  arti¬ 
ficer.  Two  shoulder-pieces  doubled  (or,  conjoined) 
shall  it  have  at  the  two  sides  conjoined.  And  the 
adorned  girdle  thereof  which  is  upon  it  shall  be  of  the 
same  work,  and  be  of  gold,  hyacinth,  vermilion,  and 
fine  linen  twined.  And  thou  shalt  take  two  stones  of 
onyx  (burilla) ;  and  engrave  upon  them  the  names,  of 
the  sons  of  Israel.  Six  of  their  names  upon  the  one 
stone,  and  the  six  names  which  remain  upon  the  second 
stone,  according  to  their  nativity.  By  the  work  of  the 
artificer  in  precious  stone  the  writing  shall  be  distinct ; 
as  the  engraving  of  a  ring,  so  shalt  thou  engrave  the 
two  stones  with  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel; 
inwrought  in  sockets  of  gold  shalt  thou  make  them. 
And  thou  shalt  put  the  two  stones  upon  the  shoulders 
of  the  epliod,  stones  of  the  memorial  of  the  sons  of 
Israel;  and  Aharon  shall  bear  their  names  before  the 
Lord  upon  his  two  shoulders  for  a  memorial.  And 
thou  shalt  make  sockets  of  gold ;  and  two  chains  of  pure 
gold  enwreathed  shalt  thou  make  of  twisted  work,  and 
shalt  set  the  twisted  chains  in  the  sockets. 

And  thou  shalt  make  the  Breastplate  of  Judgment 
with  the  work  of  the  artificer,  like  the  work  of  the  epliod 
shalt  thou  make  it,  of  gold,  hyacinth,  vermilion,  and 
fine  linen  twined  shalt  thou  make  it.  Square  shall  it 


XXVIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  409 

be;  doubled;  a  span  its  length  and  a  span  its  breadth; 
and  thou  shalt  fulfil  in  it  the  complement  of  stones  : 
four  rows  of  precious  stones  ;  the  first  row,  the  carnelian, 
topaz  and  smaragd,  the  first  row;  the  second  row, 
the  carbuncle,  sapphire,  and  onyx ; 4  and  the  third  row,  the 
jacinth,  agate,  and  amethyst;  and  the  fourth  row,  the 
chrysolite,  and  beryl,  and  jasper :  they  shall  be  inset  in 
gold  in  their  completeness.  And  the  stones  shall  be 
according  to  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  twelve 
according  to  their  names ;  the  writing  distinct  as  the 
engraving  of  a  ring ;  a  man  according  to  his  name  shall 
they  be,  after  the  twelve  tribes.  And  thou  shalt  make  on 
the  breastplate  wreathed  chains  of  twisted  work  of  pure 
gold,  and  upon  the  breastplate  two  golden  ring's,  and 
shalt  set  the  two  rings  upon  the  two  sides  of  the  breast¬ 
plate.  And  thou  shalt  put  the  two  wreaths  of  gold  into 
the  two  rings  on  the  sides  of  the  breastplate;  and  the 
two  wreaths  which  are  upon  its  two  sides  thou  shalt  set 
in  the  two  sockets,  and  put  them  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  ephod  over  against  its  front.  And  thou  shalt  make 
two  rings  of  gold,  and  set  them  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
breastplate  at  its  edges  on  the  side  of  the  ephod  within. 
And  thou  shalt  make  two  (other)  rings  of  gold,  and  put 
them  upon  the  two  shoulders  of  the  ephod  beneath, 
over  against  its  conjoinment  above  the  girdle  of  the 
ephod.  And  they  shall  unite  the  breastplate  with  its 
rings  to  the  rings  of  the  ephod  with  ribbon  of  hyacinth 
to  be  above  the  girdle  of  the  ephod,  that  the  breastplate 
be  not  separated  from  (being)  upon  the  ephod.  And 
Aharon  shall  bear  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel  on  the 
breastplate  of  judgment  upon  his  heart  in  his  going  into 
the  sanctuary,  for  a  perpetual  memorial  before  the  Lord. 

And  thou  shalt  put  in  (or  upon)  the  breastplate  of 
judgment  the  Uraia  and  the  Thummaia;5  and  they 

Or,  “emerald.”  ‘  Hebrew,  Eth  ha-urim  ve-eth  ha-tummim. 

T 


410  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

shall  be  upon  Aharon's  heart  when  he  entereth  before 
the  Lord;  and  Aharon  shall  carry  the  judgment  of  the 
sons  of  Israel  upon  his  heart  before  the  Lord  continually. 
And  thou  shalt  make  the  Lobe  of  the  ephod  of  hyacinth 
altogether.  And  the  orifice  thereof  for  the  head  shall 
be  doubled  inwardly ;  its  opening  shall  be  binded  round 
about  with  the  work  of  the  sewer,  as  the  opening  of  a 
coat  of  mail  it  shall  be,  that  it  be  not  torn.  And  thou 
shalt  make  on  the  lower  part  of  it  pomegranates  of 
hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  vermilion  upon  its  lower 
part  round  about,  with  bells  of  gold  between  them 
round  about.  A  golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate;  a 
golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate  upon  the  lower  part  of 
the  robe  round  about.  And  it  shall  be  upon  Aharon  to 
minister,  and  its  voice  shall  be  heard  in  his  entering 
into  this  sanctuary  before  the  Lord,  and  in  his  coming 
out,  that  he  shall  not  have  died. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Diadem  (or  plate)  of  pure 
gold,  and  engrave  upon  it  (in)  distinct  waiting  Holiness 
unto  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  shalt  set  it  upon  a  ribbon  of 
hyacinth,  that  it  may  be  upon  the  tiara ;  over  the  front 
of  the  tiara  shall  it  be.  And  it  shall  be  upon  Aharon's 
forehead,  that  Aharon  may  bear  the  iniquity  of  the 
things  which  the  sons  of  Israel  may  consecrate  of  all 
their  consecrated  gifts ;  and  it  shall  be  upon  his  fore¬ 
head  continually  for  their  acceptableness  before  the 
Lord.  And  thou  shalt  weave  the  vesture  of  fine  linen, 
and  make  the  tiara  of  fine  linen,  and  a  girdle  shalt  thou 
make,  the  work  of  the  embroiderer. 

And  for  the  sons  of  Aharon  thou  shalt  make  vestures, 
and  make  for  them  girdles,  and  mitres  shalt  thou  make 
for  them  for  honour  and  for  praise.  And  thou  shalt 
dress  them,  Aharon  thy  brother  and  his  sons  with  him, 
and  shalt  anoint  them  and  offer  oblations  and  consecrate 
them,  that  they  may  minister  before  Me.  And  thou 


ON  EXODUS. 


XXIX.] 


411 


shalt  make  them  coverings  of  fine  linen  to  cover  the 
flesh  of  their  shame;  from  the  loins  to  the  thighs  shall 
they  be.  And  they  shall  be  upon  Aharon  and  upon  his 
6ons  in  their  entering  into  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance, 
or  in  approaching  to  the  altar  to  minister  in  the  sanc¬ 
tuary,  that  they  contract  not  guilt  and  die.  (This  shall  be) 
an  everlasting  statute  for  him  and  for  his  sons  after  him. 

XXIX.  And  this  is  the  thing  which  thou  shalt  do  to 
them,  to  consecrate  them  to  minister  before  Me :  Take 
one  bullock,  the  young  of  a  bullock,  and  two  rams 
unblemished;  and  unleavened  bread,  and  unleavened 
cakes  mingled  with  oil,  and  wafers  unleavened  which  are 
anointed  with  oil ;  of  wheaten  flour  shalt  thou  make 
them.  And  thou  shalt  put  them  on  one  basket,  and 
bring  them  in  the  basket,  and  the  bullock  and  the  two 
rams,  and  Aharon  and  his  sons  thou  shalt  bring  to  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  wash  them 
with  water.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  vestments,  and 
dress  Aharon  with  the  tunic  and  the  robe  of  the  ephod, 
and  the  ephod  and  the  breastplate,  and  shalt  ordain  him 
with  the  girdle  of  the  ephod.  And  thou  shalt  set  the 
tiara  on  his  head,  and  put  the  diadem  of  Holiness  upon 
the  tiara.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  oil  of  anointing, 
and  pour  upon  his  head  to  anoint  him.  And  thou  shalt 
bring  his  sons  near,  and  dress  them  in  the  tunics  and 
gird  them  with  the  girdles,  Aharon  and  his  sons ;  and 
thou  shalt  set  on  them  the  mitres,  and  it  shall  be  to  them 
a  priesthood,  by  a  perpetual  statute.  And  thou  shalt  offer 
the  oblation  for  Aharon  and  the  oblation  for  his  sons, 
and  the  bullock  shalt  thou  offer  before  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance.  And  Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  lay  their 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  bullock ;  and  thou  shalt 
slay  the  bullock  before  the  Lord  at  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance.  And  thou  shalt  take  of  the 
blood  of  the  bullock,  and  put  it  upon  the  horns  of  the 

T  & 


412  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

altar  with  thy  finger,  and  all  the  blood  (that  remains) 
thou  shalt  pour  out  at  the  base  of  the  altar.  And  thou 
shalt  take  all  the  fat  which  covereth  the  inwards,  and 
the  caul  that  is  upon  the  liver,  and  the  two  kidneys 
and  the  fat  that  is  upon  them,  and  sacrifice  them  upon 
the  altar.  And  the  flesh  of  the  bullock,  his  skin,  and 
his  dung,  burn  thou  with  fire  without  the  camp ;  it  is 
a  sin-offering.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  one  ram, 
and  Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  lay  their  hands  upon 
the  head  of  the  ram ;  and  thou  shalt  kill  the  ram,  and 
take  his  blood,  and  sprinkle  upon  the  altar  round 
about.  And  the  ram  thou  shalt  divide  by  his  mem¬ 
bers,  and  shalt  cleanse  his  inwards,  and  his  legs,  and 
put  them  upon  his  members,  and  upon  his  head,  and 
thou  shalt  sacrifice  the  ram  at  the  altar  ;  it  is  a  holo¬ 
caust  before  the  Lord,  to  be  accepted  with  favour,  an 
oblation  before  the  Lord.  And  thou  shalt  take  the 
second  ram,  and  Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  lay  their 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  ram.  And  thou  shalt  kill 
the  ram,  and  take  of  his  blood,  and  put  it  on  the  tip  of 
Aharon's  ear,  and  upon  the  tip  of  the  right  ear  of  his 
sons,  and  upon  the  thumb  of  their  right  hand,  and 
upon  the  toe  of  their  right  foot;  and  thou  shalt 
sprinkle  the  blood  upon  the  altar  round  about.  And 
thou  shalt  take  of  the  blood  which  is  upon  the  altar, 
and  of  the  oil  of  anointing,  and  drop  it  on  Aharon  and 
on  his  vestments,  and  on  his  sons,  and  on  the  vestments 
of  his  sons  with  him,  and  he  shall  be  consecrated,  he 
and  his  vestments,  and  his  sons,  and  the  vestments  of 
his  sons  with  him.  And  thou  shalt  take  of  the  ram, 
the  fat,  and  the  tail,  and  the  fat  which  covereth  the 
inwards,  and  the  caul  which  is  on  the  liver,  and  the 
two  kidneys,  and  the  fat  which  is  on  them,  and  the 
right  shoulder,  for  it  is  a  ram  for  oblation ;  and  one 
loaf  of  bread,  and  one  cake  of  bread  (with)  oil,  and  one 


XXIX.]  ON  EXODUS.  413 

wafer  from  the  basket  of  the  unleavened  ones  which  is 
before  the  Lord  :  and  put  thou  all  upon  the  hands  of 
Aharon  and  upon  the  hands  of  his  sons,  and  uplift 
them  for  an  elevation  before  the  Lord ;  and  take  them 
from  their  hands,  and  offer  them  at  the  altar  upon  the 
burnt  offering,  that  they  may  be  received  with  acceptance 
before  the  Lord ;  it  is  an  oblation  before  the  Lord. 
And  thou  shalt  take  the  breast  of  the  ram  of  Aharon's 
oblations,  and  uplift  it,  an  elevation  before  the  Lord; 
and  it  shall  be  thy  porticn.  And  thou  shalt  con¬ 
secrate  the  breast  of  the  elevation  and  the  shoulder 
of  separation  which  is  uplifted  and  which  is  separated 
of  the  oblation-ram  of  Aharon  and  that  of  his  sons ; 
and  it  shall  be  for  Aharon  and  for  his  sons  by  a  per¬ 
petual  statute  for  the  sons  of  Israel,  because  it  is  a 
thing  separated.  And  a  separation  shall  be  (taken) 
from  the  sons  of  Israel  of  their  consecrated  sacrifices, 
(even)  their  separation  before  the  Lord. 

And  the  sacred  garments  of  Aharon  shall  be  his  sons' 
after  him,  to  be  anointed  in  them,  (and)  in  them  to 
offer  their  oblations.  Seven  days  shall  the  priest  wear 
them,  who  of  his  sons  (is  to  be  anointed)  instead  of 
him,  and  who  shall  enter  into  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance  to  minister  in  the  sanctuary.  And  the  ram  of 
the  oblations  thou  shalt  take,  and  boil  his  flesh  in  the 
holy  place.  And  Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  ram  and  the  bread  that  is  on  the  basket  at 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance.  And  they 
may  eat  those  things  by  which  propitiation  is  made  in 
offering  them  as  oblations  to  consecrate  them ;  but  an 
alien  may  not  eat,  because  they  are  sacred.  And  if  any 
(part)  of  the  flesh  of  the  oblations  or  of  the  bread 
remain  until  the  morning,  the  remainder  shall  be 
burned  with  fire;  it  shall  not  be  eaten,  it  is  sacred. 
And  thou  shalt  do  (thus)  to  Aharon  and  to  his  sons. 


414  TAJEtGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

according  to  all  that  I  have  prescribed  to  thee  :  seven 
days  shalt  thou  offer  6  their  oblations.  A  bullock  that  is 
a  sin-offering  thou  shalt  perform  daily  for  expiation, 
and  thou  shalt  make  purification  upon  the  altar  in 
making  expiation  upon  it,  and  shalt  anoint  it,  to  sanc¬ 
tify  it.  Seven  days  must  thou  make  expiation  on  the  altar 
to  sanctify  it,  and  the  altar  shall  be  most  holy;7 
whosoever  shall  touch  the  altar  let  him  be  sanctified. 

And  this  is  wrhat  thou  shalt  perform  upon  the  altar : 
Two  lambs,  the  offspring  of  the  year,  for  the  day,  con¬ 
tinually.  The  one  lamb  thou  shalt  perform  in  the 
morning,  and  the  second  lamb  thou  shalt  perform 
between  the  evenings.  And  a  tenth  of  flour,  sprinkled 
with  the  fourth  of  a  hina  of  beaten  oil,  and  a  libation  of 
the  fourth  of  a  hina  of  wine,  to  one  lamb.  And  the 
second  lamb  thou  shalt  perform  between  the  evenings, 
as  the  oblation  of  the  morning,  and  as  its  libation  thou 
shalt  perform  it  to  be  received  with  acceptance,  an 
oblation  before  the  Lord.  A  perpetual  holocaust  unto 
your  generations  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance  before  the  Lord,  where  I  have  appointed  My 
Word  with  you,  to  speak  with  you  there.  And  I  will 
appoint  My  Word  there  unto  the  sons  of  Israel,  and 
(with)  My  glory  will  I  sanctify  (it).8  And  I  will 
sanctify  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  the  altar,  and 
Aharon,  and  his  sons  will  I  sanctify  to  minister  before 
Me.  And  I  will  cause  My  Shekinah  to  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  I  will  be  their  God.  And 
they  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  their  God  who  brought 
them  out  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  that  I  may  make  My 
Shekinah  to  dwell  among  them.  I  am  the  Lord  their  God. 

XXX.  And  thou  shalt  make  an  altar  upon  which  to 

6  Sam.  Vers.,  “  thou  shalt  complete.” 

7  Or,  “  it  shall  be  the  altar  of  the  Holy  of  holies.” 

8  Sam.  Vers.,  “  and  I  will  sanctify  (it)  with  My  glory.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


415 


XXX.] 

burn  fragrant  incense,  of  woods  of  sittin  shalt  thou 
make  it.  A  cubit  its  length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth, 
four-square  shall  it  be,  and  two  cubits  its  height.  The 
horns  of  it  shall  be  of  the  same.  And  thou  shalt  cover 
it  with  fine  gold,  its  top  and  its  sides  round  about,  and 
its  horns.  And  thou  shalt  make  to  it  a  crown  of  gold 
round  about,  and  two  rings  of  gold  shalt  thou  make  to 
it  under  its  crown,  upon  its  top  corners,  at  its  two  sides  ; 
and  it  shall  be  for  the  places  of  the  staves  by  which  to 
carry  it.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  staves  of  sittin 
woods,  and  cover  them  with  gold.  And  thou  shalt 
place  it  before  the  veil  which  is  over  the  ark  of  the 
testimony  before  the  mercy-seat  which  is  over  the  testi¬ 
mony,  where  I  will  appoint  My  Word  to  be  with  thee. 
And  Aharon  shall  burn  thereon  fragrant  incense  from 
morning  to  morning,  when  he  setteth  the  lamps  in  order 
he  shall  burn  it.  And  when  Aharon  kindleth  the  lamps 
between  the  evenings,  he  shall  burn  fragrant  incense 
continually  before  the  Lord  in  your  generations.  You 
shall  not  offer  upon  it  incense  of  strange  perfumes,  nor 
holocaust,  nor  mincha,  nor  pour  any  libation  upon  it. 
And  Aharon  shall  atone  upon  its  horns  once  in  the  year 
with  the  blood  of  the  sin  offering  of  the  atonement,  once 
in  the  year  shall  he  atone  upon  it,  unto  your  genera¬ 
tions.  It  is  holy  of  holiness  before  the  Lord. 


SECTION  XXI. 

KI  THISSA. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  When 
thou  takest  the  account  of  the  sons  of  Israel  according 
to  their  number,  they  shall  give  every  man  a  ransom  for 
his  soul  before  the  Lord,  when  thou  numberest  them, 


416  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

that  there  may  not  be  death  among  them  when  thou 
numberest  them.  This  they  shall  give  :  every  one  who 
cometh  over  to  the  adnumberraent,  a  half  shekel,  of  the 
shekel  of  the  sanctuary,  of  twenty  mayin  the  shekel, 
half  a  shekel  shall  be  set  apart  before  the  Lord.  Every 
one  who  cometh  over  to  the  adnumberment,  from  a  son 
of  twenty  years  and  above,  shall  give  the  separation 
before  the  Lord.  He  who  is  rich  shall  not  increase  (it), 
and  he  who  is  poor  shall  not  diminish  from  the  half 
shekel  in  presenting  the  separation  before  the  Lord  to 
propitiate  for  your  souls.  And  thou  shalt  take  the 
silver  of  the  propitiation  from  the  sons  of  Israel,  and 
appoint  it  for  the  service  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance ; 
and  it  shall  be  to  the  sons  of  Israel  for  a  memorial  before 
the  Lord  to  propitiate  for  your  souls. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying.  Thou  shalt 
make  a  Laver  of  brass,  and  its  foundation  of  brass  for 
purifying ;  and  set  it  between  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance  and  the  altar,  and  put  water  therein.  And 
Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  purify  at  it  their  hands  and 
their  feet.  In  their  entering  into  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance  they  shall  cleanse  themselves  with  water,  that 
they  die  not  ;  or  when  they  approach  the  altar  to 
minister,  to  offer  an  oblation  before  the  Lord  ;  and  (thus) 
they  shall  purify  their  hands  and  their  feet,  that  they  may 
not  die.  And  it  shall  be  to  them  an  everlastiug  statute, 
to  him  and  to  his  sons  unto  their  generations. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  Take  thou 
also  to  thee  choice  (first  or  principal)  aromatics :  pure 
myrrh,  five  hundred  (shekels*  weight) ;  and  sweet  cinna¬ 
mon,  one  half  (as  much),  two  hundred  and  fifty  (shekels*) 
weight ;  of  sweet  calamus,  two  hundred  and  fifty  (she¬ 
kels*)  weight ;  and  cassia,  five  hundred  (shekels*)  weight, 
of  the  shekels  of  the  sanctuary ;  and  olive  oil,  a  liina 
full ;  and  make  it  a  holy  anointing  oil,  most  fragrant, 


XXXI.]  ON  EXODUS.  417 

the  work  of  the  perfumer  ;  it  shall  be  the  holy  oil 
for  anointing.  And  thou  shalt  anoint  therewith  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance  and  the  ark  of  the  testimony, 
and  the  table  and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  candela¬ 
brum  and  its  -vessels,  and  the  altar  of  sweet  incense, 
and  the  altar  of  burnt  offering  and  all  its  vessels, 
and  the  laver  and  its  foundation,  and  consecrate 
them.  They  shall  be  most  holy ;  whoever  approacheth 
them  shall  be  sanctified.  And  Aharon  and  his  sons 
thou  shalt  anoint,  and  consecrate  them  to  minister 
'before  Me.  And  thou  shalt  speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
saying,  A  holy  anointing  oil  shall  thus  be  unto  Me  for 
your  generations.  Upon  the  flesh  of  man  it  shall  not 
be  poured,  nor  the  like  to  it  be  made ;  sacred  is  it,  and 
sacred  shall  it  be  to  you.  The  man  who  compoundeth 
the  like  to  it,  or  who  putteth  it  upon  an  alien,  shall  be 
destroyed  from  his  people. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Take  thee  spices, 
stachte9  and  onycha,  and  galbanum  spices,  and  pure 
frankincense,  weight  for  weight  shall  they  be ;  and  thou 
shalt  make  it  a  sweet  incense,  fragrant,  the  work  of  the 
perfumer,  mixed,  pure,  for  consecration.  And  thou 
shalt  beat  some  of  it  and  make  it  fine,  and  put  thereof 
before  the  testimony  in  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance, 
where  I  will  appoint  My  Word  to  be  with  thee;  to  you 
it  shall  be  most  holy.  And  of  the  sweet  incense  which 
thou  shalt  make  you  must  not  make  the  like  for  your¬ 
selves  ;  it  shall  be  sacred  to  thee  before  the  Lord.  The 
man  who  maketh  the  like  of  it,  to  smell  thereto,  shall 
be  destroyed  from  his  people. 

XXXI.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying, 
Behold,  I  have  named  by  name  Bezalel  bar  Uri  bar  Hur, 
of  the  tribe  of  Jehudah,  and  have  fulfilled  him  with  the 
spirit  of  prophecy  from  before  the  Lord,  with  wisdom, 
9  Sam.  Vers.,  “balsam.” 

T  5 


418  TAUGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

and  with  intelligence,  and  with  knowledge,  and  in  all 
work  (to  excel),  to  instruct  artificers  to  work  in  gold, 
and  in  silver,  and  in  brass,  and  in  artisanship  of  precious 
stone,  to  fill  in,  and  in  carving  of  wood,  to  accomplish 
all  the  work.  And  I,  behold,  have  given  with  him 
Ahaliab  bar  Achisamak,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan  m}  and  in 
the  heart  of  all  the  wise  of  heart  have  I  ingiven  wisdom, 
that  they  may  make  all  that  I  have  commanded  thee-: 
The  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  the  ark  of  the  testi¬ 
mony,  and  the  propitiatory  that  is  upon  it,  and  all  the 
vessels  of  the  tabernacle ;  and  the  table  and  its  vessels/ 
and  the  pure  candelabrum  and  all  its  vessels,  and  the 
altar  of  sweet  incense,  and  the  altar  of  burnt  offering 
and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  laver  and  its  foundation. 
And  the  vestments  of  ministration,  and  the  holy  vest¬ 
ments  of  Aharon  the  priest,  and  the  vestments  of  his 
sons  for  ministry ;  and  the  oil  of  anointing,  and  the 
sweet  incense  for  the  sanctuary,  according  to  all  that 
I  have  commanded  thee,  they  shall  make. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  Speak  thou 
also  with  the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  The  days  of  My 
Sabbaths  ye  shall  indeed  keep ;  for  it  is  a  sign  between 
My  Word  and  you,  unto  your  generations,  that  ye  may 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord  who  sanctifieth  you.  And 
you  shall  keep  the  Sabbath,  for  it  is  holy  unto  you ; 
whosoever  profaneth  it,  dying,  he  shall  die ;  for  whoso¬ 
ever  doeth  work  therein,  that  man  shall  be  destroyed 
from  among  his  people.  Six  days  shalt  thou  do  work, 
and  the  seventh  day  is  Sabbath,  the  Holy  Sabbath 
before  the  Lord  :  whosoever  doeth  work  on  the  day  of 
the  Sabbath,  dying,  he  shall  die.  And  the  sons  of  Israel 
shall  keep  the  Sabbath  to  fulfil  (lit.,  perform)  the  Sabbath 
unto  their  generations,  a  statute  for  ever.  Between  My 
Word  and  the  sons  of  Israel  it  is  a  sign  for  ever ;  for  in 
six  days  the  Lord  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth ;  and 


ON  EXODUS. 


419 


XXXII.] 


in  the  seventh  day  rested  and  was  refreshed.10  And  He 
gave  to  Mosheh,  when  He  had  finished  to  speak  with 
him  on  Mount  Sinai,  two  tablets  of  the  testimony, 
tablets  of  stone,  inscribed  with  the  finger  of  the  Lord. 

XXXII.  But  the  people  saw  that  Mosheh  delayed  to 
come  down  from  the  Mount ;  and  the  people  gathered 
together  unto  Aharon,  and  said  to  him.  Arise,  make  us 
gods  ( dachalariy  pi.,  objects  to  be  venerated)  that  may 
proceed  before  us  ;n  for  this  Mosheh,  the  man  who 
brought  us  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  we  know  not 
what  hath  been  to  him.  And  Aharon  said  to  them, 
Take  off  the  golden  ear-rings  which  are  in  the  ears  of 
your  wives,  your  sons,  and  your  daughters,  and  bring 
them  to  me.  And  all  the  people  took  off  the  golden 
rings  which  were  in  their  ears,  and  brought  them  unto 
Aharon.  And  he  took  them  from  their  hands,  and 
formed  it  with  a  graver,  and  made  it  a  molten  calf. 
And  they  said.  These  are  thy  gods,  Israel,  which 
brought  thee  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Aharon  saw,1  and  builded  an  altar  before  it ;  and 
Aharon  proclaimed  and  said,  A  feast  shall  be  held 
before  the  Lord  to-morrow.  And  they  arose  next  day, 
and  sacrificed  burnt  offerings  and  offered  oblations ;  and 
the  people  sat  around  to  eat  and  drink,  and  rose  up  to 
disport. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  Go,  descend,  for 
thy  people  whom  thou  broughtest  up  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim  have  corrupted  themselves ;  they  have  quickly 
warped  from  the  way  which  I  had  taught  them ;  they 
have  made  a  molten  calf,  and  have  worshipped  it,  and 
sacrificed  unto  it,  and  have  said,  These  are  thy  gods, 
Israel,  which  have  brought  thee  up  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  It  is  seen 


11  Sam.  Vers.,  “as  it  may  please  us.” 


10  Sam.  Vers.,  “breathed.3 
1  Sam.  Vers.,  “  feared.” 


420  TARGUM  or  OXKtLOS  [chap. 

before  Me  tliat  this  people  are  hard-necked.  And  now 
refrain  from  thy  prayer  before  Me,  and  My  anger  shall 
prevail  against  them,  and  I  will  destroy  them,  and  will 
make  thee  to  a  great  people.  But  Mosheh  prayed 
before  the  Lord  his  God,  and  said,  Why,  Lord,  is  Thy 
anger  strong  against  Thy  people,  whom  Thou  didst 
bring  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim  with  great  power 
and  with  mighty  hand  ?  Wherefore  should  the  Mizraee 
speak  to  say,  With  evil  (purpose)  He  led  them  out  to 
kill  them  among  the  mountains,  and  to  consume  them 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  ?  Turn  from  the  strength  of 
Thine  anger,  and  revert  from  the  evil  which  Thou  hast 
threatened  to  do  unto  Thy  people.  Remember  Abraham, 
Izhak,  and  Israel,  Thy  servants  to  whom  Thou  hast  sworn 
by  Thy  Word,  and  to  whom  Thou  hast  said,  I  will 
multiply  your  sons  as  the  stars  of  the  heavens,  and  all 
this  land  of  which  I  have  spoken.  I  will  give  unto  your 
sons,  and  they  shall  own  it  for  ever. 

And  the  Lord  did  turn  from  the  evil  which  He  had 
threatened  to  do  unto  the  people.  And  Mosheh  returned 
and  w’ent  dowrn  from  the  Mount,  and  the  two  tablets 
of  testimony  wrere  in  his  hand :  the  tablets  were  inscribed 
on  their  twro  sides,  here  and  there  were  they  inscribed. 
And  the  tablets  were  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
writing  was  the  writing  of  the  Lord  set  forth  distinctly 
upon  the  tablets. 

And  Jehoshua  heard  the  voice  of  the  people  as  they 
made  outcry,  and  he  said  to  Mosheh,  The  voice  of  war 
is  in  the  camp.  But  he  said,  It  is  not  the  voice  of 
men  wrho  are  victorious,  nor  is  it  the  voice  of  the  weak 
who  are  beaten,  but  it  is  the  voice  of  revellers  that  I 
hear.  And  it  was  that  as  he  drew  nigh  the  camp,  and 
saw  the  calf  and  the  dancing,  that  the  anger  of  Mosheh 
grew  strong,  and  he  cast  from  his  hands  the  tablets, 
and  brake  them  at  the  declivity  of  the  mountain.  And 


ON  EXODUS. 


421 


XXXII.] 

he  took  the  calf  which  they  had  made,  and  burned  it  in 
fire,  and  ground  it  until  it  was  powder,  and  spread  it 
on  the  face  of  the  water,  and  made  the  sons  of  Israel 
drink  it. 

And  Mosheh  said  to  Aharon,  What  did  this  people 
to  thee,  that  thou  hast  brought  upon  them  so  great  a 
sin  ?  And  Aharon  said,  Let  not  my  lord's  anger  be 
violent :  thou  knowest  the  people,  that  it  is  prone  to 
evil.  And  they  said  to  me,  Make  us  gods  that  shall 
go  before  us  :  for  this  Mosheh,  the  man  who  brought  us 
up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  we  know  not  what  hath 
been  done  to  him.  And  I  said  to  them,  Whoever  hath 
gold  let  him  deliver,  and  give  it  to  me ;  and  I  cast  it 
into  the  fire,  and  this  calf  came  forth.  And  Mosheh 
saw  that  the  people  were  undone  (or,  made  empty) ;  for 
Aharon  had  undone  them,  to  defile  them  with  an  evil 
name  in  their  generations ;  and  Mosheh  stood  at  the 
gate  of  the  camp,  and  said.  Let  those  who  fear  the  Lord 
come  to  me.  And  all  the  sous  of  Levi  gathered 
together  to  him.  And  he  said  to  them.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  the  God  of  Israel,  Let  every  man  put  his  sword 
upon  his  thigh,  pass  through,  and  return,  from  gate  to 
gate  in  the  camp,  and  slay,  a  man  his  brother,  and  a 
man  his  companion,  and  a  man  his  neighbour.  And 
the  sons  of  Levi  did  according  to  the  word  of  Mosheh, 
and  there  fell  of  the  people  in  that  day  as  three  thou¬ 
sand  men.  And  Mosheh  said,  Present  your  hands 2  this 
day  an  offering  before  the  Lord,  every  man  with  (or,  on 
account  of)  his  son  and  his  brother,  that  you  may  bring 
blessings  upon  you  this  day. 

And  it  was  on  the  day  following  that  Mosheh  said 
to  the  people,  You  have  sinned  a  great  sin ;  but  now  I 
will  go  up  before  the  Lord,  if  haply  I  may  propitiate 
for  your  sin.  And  Mosheh  returned  before  the  Lord, 

2  Some  copies  omit  “  your  hands,”  and  read,  “  Present  your  offerings.” 


422  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

and  said  in  his  prayer.  This  people  have  sinned  a  great 
sin,  for  they  have  made  to  them  gods  of  gold.  But 
now,  if  Thou  wilt  forgive  their  sin  !  But  if  not,  blot 
me  now  out  of  the  Book  which  Thou  hast  written. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Him  who  hath  sinned 
before  Me,  will  I  blot  from  My  book.  But  now,  go, 
lead  the  people  to  the  place  that  I  have  told  thee  of : 
behold,  My  Angel  shall  proceed  before  thee ;  and  in  the 
day  that  I  visit,  I  will  visit  upon  them  their  sin.  And 
the  Lord  smote  the  people  because  they  had  worshipped 
(or  served)  the  calf  which  Aharon  had  made. 

XXXIII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go,  descend 
from  hence,  thou  and  the  people  thou  hast  brought  up 
from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  unto  the  land  which  I  have 
covenanted  unto  Abraham,  to  Izhak,  and  to  Jakob, 
saying,  To  thy  sons  will  I  give  it.  And  I  will  send  My 
Angel  before  thee,  and  will  drive  out  the  Kenaanaee, 
the  Amoraee,  and  Hittaee,  and  the  Pherizaee,  the 
Ilivaee,  and  the  Jebusaee ;  to  the  land  producing  milk 
and  honey :  for  My  Shekinah  shall  not  go  up  among 
you,  because  thou  art  a  hard-necked  people,  lest  I 
destroy  thee  in  the  way.  And  the  people  heard  these 
■words  of  evil,  and  lamented,  and  no  man  put  on  his 
usual  ornaments.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Say 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  Ye  are  a  hard-necked  people; 
if  one  hour  My  Shekinah  go  up  among  thee,  I  should 
destroy  thee.  And  now  take  off  thy  garnishing  from 
thee,  and  it  will  appear  before  me  what  I  shall  do  with 
thee.  And  the  children  of  Israel  removed  their  usual 
ornaments  (on  their  return)  from  the  mount  of  Horeb. 
And  Mosheh  took  a  tabernacle,  and  spread  it  for  him¬ 
self  without  the  camp,  at  a  distance  from  the  camp, 
and  called  it  the  Tabernacle  of  the  House  of  Listruction  : 
and  it  was  that  every  one  who  sought  instruction  from 
before  the  Lord,  went  forth  to  the  tabernacle  of  the 


XXXIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  423 

house  of  instruction  without  the  camp.  And  it  came 
to  pass  that  when  Mosheh  went  forth  to  the  taber¬ 
nacle,  all  the  people  rose  up,  and  stood,  every  man  at 
the  door  of  his  tent,  and  looked  after  Mosheh  until  he 
had  entered  into  the  tabernacle.  And  it  was  when 
Mosheh  had  entered  the  tabernacle,  the  column  of 
the  Cloud  descended  and  stood  at  the  door  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle,  and  (He)  spake  with  Mosheh.  And  all  the 
people  saw  the  column  of  the  Cloud  standing  at  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle,  and  all  the  people  arose  and 
worshipped,  every  man  at  the  door  of  his  tent.  And 
the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh  word  with  word,  as  a  man 
speaketh  with  his  companion.  And  he  returned  to  the 
camp ;  but  his  minister,  Jehoshua  bar  Nun,  a  young 
man,  did  not  remove  from  the  tabernacle. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  See,  Thou  hast 
said  to  me,  Take  this  people  up ;  but  Thou  hast  not  let 
me  know  whom  Thou  wilt  send  with  me ;  yet  Thou  hast 
said,  I  have  ordained  thee  by  name,  and  thou  hast  found 
mercy  before  Me.  And  if  now  I  have  found  mercy 
before  Thee,  show  me,  I  pray,  Thy  good  way,3  that  I 
may  know  Thy  loving-kindness,  and  may  find  mercy 
before  Thee,  and  make  it  manifest  before  Thee  that  this 
people  is  Thy  people.  And  He  said.  My  Shekinah 
shall  go,  and  I  will  give  thee  rest.  And  he  said  before 
Him,  If  Thy  Shekinah  goeth  not  among  us,  let  us  not 
ascend  from  hence.  And  in  what  shall  it  be  known 
that  I  and  Thy  people  have  found  mercy  before  Thee,  if 
Thy  Shekinah  go  not  up  with  us,  to  make  for  us  the 
distinction,4  and  to  distinguish  me  and  Thy  people  from 
every  people  that  is  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ?  And 
the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  This  thing  that  thou  hast 
spoken  will  I  do,  because  thou  hast  found  mercy  before 

8  Or,  "  the  way  of  Thy  Goodness.” 

4  Sam.  Vers.,  “  to  make  us  free.” 


424  TARGTJM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

Me,  and  I  have  ordained  thee  by  name.  And  he  said. 
Show  me,  I  pray,  Thy  Glory  !  And  He  said,  I  will 
make  all  My  Goodness  pass  before  thy  face,5  and  I  will 
proclaim  the  Name  of  the  Lord  before  thee,  and  I  will  be 
gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  have  mercy  on 
whom  I  will  have  mercy.  And  He  said.  Thou  canst 
not  see  the  Face  of  My  Shekinah ;  for  no  man  can  see 
Me  and  abide  alive.  And  the  Lord  said,  Behold,  there 
is  a  place  prepared  before  Me,  and  thou  shalt  stand 
upon  the  rock,  and  it  shall  be,  when  My  Glory  passeth, 
I  will  put  thee  in  a  cavern  of  the  rock,  and  My  Word 
shall  overshadow  thee  until  I  have  passed ;  and  I  will 
take  away  the  word  ( dibberath )  of  My  Glory,  and  thou 
shalt  see  that  which  is  after  Me,6  but  My  Aspect 7  shall 
not  be  seen. 

XXXIV.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Hew  thee 
two  tablets  of  stone  as  the  first  ones,  and  I  will  write 
upon  the  tablets  the  wrords  that  were  upon  the  former 
tablets  w'hich  thou  hast  broken.  And  be  ready  in  the 
morning,  and  go  up  at  morn  to  Mount  Sinai,  and  stand 
there  before  Me  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  Let 
no  man  ascend  with  thee;  let  no  man  be  seen  upon  all 
the  mountain,  nor  sheep  nor  oxen  be  grazing  upon  the 
mountain.  And  hew  two  tablets  of  stone  like  the 
former  ones. 

And  Mosheh  arose  in  the  morning,  and  ascended 
Mount  Sinai,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  him,  and 
took  in  his  hand  two  tablets  of  stone.  And  the  Lord 
was  revealed  in  the  Cloud,  and  He  stood  with  him  there, 
and  He  proclaimed  the  Name  of  the  Lord.8  And  the 
Lord  made  His  Shekinah  pass  before  his  face ;  and  lie 

5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  My  loving-kindness  shall  go  before,  and  will  lead 
thee.” 

6  Le-bathrai.  7  De-kadamai. 

fl  Or,  "  proclaimed  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


425 


XXXIV.] 

proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  Merciful  and 
Gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  making  goodness  and 
truth  to  abound ;  Keeping  goodness  for  thousands  of 
generations ;  Forgiving  iniquity  and  rebellion  and  guilt ; 
Pardoning  them  who  convert  unto  His  law,  but  ac¬ 
quitting  not  them  who  convert  not ;  Yisiting  the  guilt 
of  fathers  upon  the  children  and  upon  the  children's 
children  of  the  rebellious,  upon  the  third  and  upon  the 
fourth  generation.  And  Mosheh  made  haste,  and 
bowed  upon  the  ground  and  worshipped. 

And  he  said,  If  now  I  have  found  mercy  before  Thee, 
0  Lord,  let,  I  pray,  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord  go  among 
us ;  for  it  is  a  hard-necked  people ;  but  forgive  Thou 
our  guilt  and  our  sin,  and  take  possession  of  us.  And 
He  said,  Behold,  I  make  a  covenant  before  all  thy 
people  that  I  will  do  wonders  which  were  never  created 
upon  all  the  earth,  nor  among  any  of  the  peoples ;  and 
all  peoples  among  whom  thou  art  shall  see  the  work  of 
the  Lord ;  for  terrible  shall  that  be  which  I  will  do  with 
thee.  Observe  thou  that  which  I  command  thee  this 
day.  Behold,  I  will  drive  out  from  before  thee  the 
Amoraee,  and  Kenaanaee,  and  Hittaee,  and  Pherizaee, 
and  Hivaee,  and  Jebusaee.  Beware  lest  thou  make  a 
covenant  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  upon  which 
thou  shalt  enter,  lest  it  become  a  stumbling-block  in  the 
midst  of  thee :  but  their  altars  thou  shalt  destroy,  and 
their  statues  break,  and  their  groves  cut  down ; 9  for 
thou  shalt  not  worship  the  idols  of  the  peoples;  for  the 
Lord,  Zealous  is  His  Name,  a  zealous  God  is  He.  Lest 
thou  strike  a  covenant  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land, 
and  go  erring  after  their  idols,  and  to  their  idols  offer 
sacrifices,  and  they  invite  thee,  and  thou  eat  of  their 
sacrifices,  and  thou  take  of  their  daughters  for  thy  sons, 
and  they  make  thy  daughters  go  erring  after  their  idols, 
9  Sam.  Vers.,  “  root  up.” 


426  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

and  thy  sons  to  go  erring  after  their  idols.  Molten 
gods  thou  shalt  not  make  to  thee. 

The  feast  of  the  unleavened  thou  shalt  keep.  Seven 
days  thou  shalt  eat  unleavened  (bread)  as  I  have  com¬ 
manded  thee,  in  the  time  of  the  month  of  Abiva ;  for  in 
the  month  of  Abiva  thou  didst  come  out  of  Mizraim. 
All  that  openeth  the  womb  is  Mine ;  all  males  of  cattle 
thou  shalt  sanctify,  the  first-born  of  oxen  and  of  sheep. 
But  the  firstling  of  an  ass  thou  raayest  redeem  with  a 
lamb ;  but  if  thou  redeem  him  not,  thou  shalt  cut  him 
off.  All  the  first-born  of  thy  sons  thou  shalt  redeem. 

And  let  none  appear  before  Me  empty.  Six  days 
thou  shalt  labour,  and  on  the  seventh  day  rest;  in 
sowing  (time)  and  in  reaping  thou  shalt  rest.  And  the 
feast  of  Weeks  thou  shalt  make  to  thee,  of  the  firsts  of 
the  wheat  harvest,  and  the  feast  of  ingathering  in  the 
cycle  of  the  year.  Three  times  in  the  year  shall  all 
your  males  appear  before  the  Master  of  the  World,  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel.  Tor  I  will  drive  out  the  nations 
before  thee,  and  enlarge  thy  borders,  and  no  man  shall 
covet  thy  land  when  thou  goest  up  to  appear  before  the 
Lord  thy  God  three  times  in  the  year.  Thou  shalt  not 
sacrifice  the  blood  of  My  Pascha  with  leaven,  nor  shall 
the  fat  of  the  sacrifices  of  the  Paschal  feast  be  left  with¬ 
out  the  altar  till  the  morning.  The  chief  of  the  first- 
fruits  of  thy  land  thou  shalt  bring  to  the  sanctuary  of 
the  Lord  thy  God.  Thou  shalt  not  eat  flesh  with  milk. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Write  for  thee  these 
words ;  for  upon  the  expression  of  these  words  I  make 
covenant  with  thee  and  with  Israel. 

And  he  was  there  before  the  Lord  forty  days  and 
forty  nights ;  bread  he  ate  not,  nor  water  did  he  drink ; 
and  he  wrote  upon  the  tablets  the  words  of  the  cove¬ 
nant,  the  Ten  Words.  And  it  was  when  Mosheh 
descended  from  the  mountain  of  Sinai  with  the  two 


ON  EXODUS. 


427 


XXXV.] 

tablets  of  the  testimony  in  the  hand  of  Mosheh,  in  his 
descending  from  the  mount,  that  Mosheh  knew  not 
how  great  was  the  splendour  of  the  glory  of  his  coun¬ 
tenance  through  His  speaking  with  him.  And  Aharon 
and  all  the  sons  of  Israel  saw  Mosheh,  and,  behold, 
great  was  the  splendour  of  the  glory  of  his  countenance, 
and  they  were  afraid  to  approach  him.  But  Mosheh 
called  to  them,  and  Aharon  and  all  the  chiefs  of  the 
congregation  returned  to  him,  and  Mosheh  conversed 
with  them.  And  afterward  all  the  sons  of  Israel  drew 
near,  and  he  taught  them  all  that  the  Lord  had  said  to 
him  on  Mount  Sinai.  And  when  Mosheh  had  com¬ 
pleted  to  speak  with  them,  he  put  a  veil  upon  his  face. 
But  when  Mosheh  went  in  before  the  Lord  to  speak 
with  Him,  he  removed  the  veil  until  he  came  out. 
And  he  went  forth  and  spake  with  the  sons  of 
Israel  of  that  which  was  commanded.  And  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Israel  saw  the  face  of  Mosheh,  that  the 
splendour  of  the  glory  of  Mosheh's  face  was  great ; 
and  Mosheh  put  the  veil  again  upon  his  face  until  he 
went  in  to  speak  with  Him. 


SECTION  XXII. 

VAYAKEHEL. 

XXXV.  And  Mosheh  assembled  all  the  congrega¬ 
tion  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  said  to  them,  These  are 
the  things  which  the  Lord  hath  commanded  you  to  do. 
Six  days  thou  shalt  do  work,  but  the  seventh  day  (is)  a 


428  TAKGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

holy  rest,  the  Sabbath  1  before  the  Lord  :  every  one  who 
doeth  work  thereon  shall  be  put  to  death.  You  may 
not  kindle  a  fire  in  all  your  dwellings  on  the  day  of  the 
Sabbath.  And  Mosheh  spake  to  all  the  congregation 
of  the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  This  is  the  word  which  the 
Lord  hath  commanded,  saying,  Take  from  you  a  separa¬ 
tion  ( ' aphrashutha )  before  the  Lord  of  every  one  whose 
heart  may  be  willing;  let  him  bring  the  separation 
before  the  Lord :  gold,  ’  and  silver,  and  brass,  and 
hyacinth,  and  crimson,  and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and 
goat's  hair,  and  ram's  skin  dyed  red,  and  purple  skins, 
and  sittin  wroods  ;  and  oil  for  the  illuminator,  and  aro¬ 
matics  for  the  anointing  oil,  and  for  the  sweet  perfumes ; 
and  onyx  stones  and  complete  stones  for  insetting  in 
the  ephod  and  in  the  breastplate.  And  all  the  wise- 
hearted  among  you  shall  come  and  make  all  that  the 
Lord  hath  commanded  :  the  tabernacle,  its. tent  and  its 
coverings,  its  hasps,  its  boards,  its  bars,  its  pillars,  and 
its  bases.  The  ark,  and  its  staves,  the  mercy-seat, 
and  the  veil  that  shall  be  spread ;  the  table,  and  its 
staves,  and  all  its  vessels ;  and  the  bread  of  the  Pre¬ 
sence,  and  the  candelabrum  for  light,  and  its  vessels, 
and  its  lamps,  and  the  oil  for  illumination.  And  the 
altar  of  sweet  incense,  and  its  staves,  and  the  oil  of 
anointing,  and  the  incense  of  perfumes,  and  the  curtain 
of  the  door  of  the  tabernacle.  The  altar  of  burnt- 
offering,  and  its  brasen  grate,  its  staves,  and  all  its  ves¬ 
sels  ;  the  laver  and  its  base.  The  curtains  of  the  court, 
and  its  pillars,  and  its  bases,  and  the  hanging  of  the 
gate  of  the  court.  The  nails  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the 
nails  of  the  court  and  their  cordings.  The  vestments  of 
ministration  for  ministering  in  the  sanctuary,  the  holy 
vestments  of  Aharon  the  priest,  and  the  vestments  of 
his  sons  for  ministration. 


1  Shabbatha. 


XXXV.]  ON  EXODUS.  429 

And  all  the  congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel  went 
forth  from  before  Mosheh.  And  they  came,  every  man 
who  was  led  by  his  heart,  and  every  one  whose  spirit 
was  ample,  and  brought  their  separation  before  the 
Lord,  for  the  work  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and 
for  all  its  service,  and  for  the  holy  vestments.  And  they 
came,  the  men  with  the  women,  every  one  who  was 
willing  of  heart,  and  brought  chains,  and  bracelets,  and 
rings,  and  bands,  all  of  gold.  And  every  man  who 
uplifted  an  offering  of  gold  before  the  Lord,  and 
every  man  with  whom  was  found  hyacinth,  or  purple, 
or  crimson,  or  fine  linen,  or  goats'  skins,  or  rams'  skins 
dyed  red,  or  purpled  skins,  brought.  Every  one  who 
would  offer  silver  or  brass,  brought  the  separation 
before  the  Lord ;  and  every  one  with  whom  was  found 
woods  of  sittin  for  any  work  of  the  service,  brought. 
And  every  woman  wise  in  heart  spun  with  her  hands, 
and  brought  what  was  spun,  the  hyacinth,  the  purple, 
the  crimson,  and  the  fine  linen.  And  all  the  women 
with  whom  was  willingness  of  heart  with  wisdom  spun 
goat's  hair.  And  the  princes  brought  onyx  stones  and 
complete  stones  for  the  insetting  of  the  ephod  and  the 
breastplate ;  and  the  perfume,  and  oil  for  the  light  and 
for  the  oil  of  anointing,  and  the  incense  of  perfumes. 
Every  man  and  woman  whose  heart  led  them  to  bring 
for  all  the  work  which  the  Lord  had  commanded  to 
make  by  Mosheh,  did  the  children  of  Israel  bring 
willingly  before  the  Lord. 

And  Mosheh  said  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  See,  the 
Lord  hath  ordained  by  name  Bezalel  bar  Uri  bar  Hur, 
of  the  tribe  of  Jehudah,  and  hath  filled  him  with  the 
spirit  of  prophecy 2  from  before  the  Lord,  wdth  wisdom, 
with  intelligence,  and  with  knowledge,  for  all  handi¬ 
craft,  and  to  teach  the  arts  of  working  in  gold,  and  in 

2  Some  copies  omit  “of  prophecy.” 


430  TARGUM  OP  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

silver,  and  in  brass,  and  the  skilful  work  of  precious 
stones  for  enchasing,  and  the  workmanship  of  wood  to 
work  in  all  the  work  of  the  artificer.  And  he  hath 
ingiven  in  his  heart  to  teach  also  Ahaliab  bar  Achisa- 
mak,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  and  hath  tilled  them  with 
wisdom  of  heart  to  make  all  the  work  of  the  car¬ 
penter,  and  artificer,  and  embroiderer,  in  hyacinth,  and 
in  purple,  and  in  scarlet,  and  in  fine  linen,  and  the 
weaver,  of  (such  as)  do  any  work,  and  who  teach  the 
arts. 

XXXVI.  And  Bezalel  and  Ahaliab,  with  every  man 
wise  in  heart,  to  whom  the  Lord  had  given  wisdom  and 
intelligence  to  know  how  to  make  each  work  for  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary,  wrought  (according)  to  all  that 
the  Lord  had  commanded.  And  Mosheh  called  Bezalel 
and  Ahaliab,  and  every  man  wise  in  heart,  to  whose 
heart  the  Lord  had  given  wisdom,  every  one  wffiose 
heart  was  led  to  draw  near  and  do  the  work  itself.  And 
they  took  from  Mosheh  all  the  separation  which  the 
children  of  Israel  had  brought  for  the  work  of  the  ser¬ 
vice  of  the  sanctuary  to  make  it.  And  they  still 
brought  to  him  votive  offerings  from  morning  to  morn¬ 
ing.  And  all  the  wise  men  who  wrought  all  the  work 
of  the  sanctuary  came,  each  man  from  his  work  which 
they  had  wrought.  And  they  spake  with  Mosheh, 
saying,  The  people  abound  in  bringing  more  than  is 
needed  for  the  work  which  the  Lord  hath  commanded  to 
make.  And  Mosheh  ordered,  and  they  made  publica¬ 
tion  in  the  camp,  saying,  Let  no  man  or  woman  make  any 
more  work  of  the  separation  for  the  sanctuary  :  and  the 
people  ceased  to  bring.  Bor  what  had  been  done  was 
sufficient  for  all  the  work  to  be  wrought,  and  more  than 
enough.  And  all  the  wise-hearted  of  them  who  did  the 
work  of  the  tabernacle  made  ten  curtains  of  fine  linen, 
and  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  (with)  forms  of 


XXXVI.]  ON  EXODUS.  431 

kerubin  ; 3  tlie  work  of  the  embroiderer  he  made  them. 
The  length  of  one  curtain  twenty  and  eight  cubits,  and 
the  breadth  of  the  curtain  four  cubits ;  there  was  one 
measure  for  all  the  curtains.  And  he  conjoined  five 
curtains  one  with  another,  and  five  curtains  conjoined 
he  one  with  another.  And  he  made  loopings  of  hyacinth 
upon  the  border  of  one  curtain  at  the  edge  of  the  place 
of  conjunction ;  so  made  he  upon  the  border  of  the 
other  curtain  at  the  edge  of  the  second  place  of  con¬ 
junction.  Fifty  loopings  he  made  on  one  curtain,  and 
fifty  loopings  he  made  on  the  border  of  the  second  cur¬ 
tain  at  the  place  of  conjunction  :  the  loopings  were 
arranged  the  one  to  correspond  with  the  other.  And  he 
made  fifty  taches  of  gold,  and  conjoined  the  curtains  one 
with  another  by  the  taches,  and  the  tabernacle  became  one. 

And  he  made  curtains  of  goat's  hair  to  spread  over 
the  tabernacle :  eleven  curtains  made  he  them.  The 
length  of  one  curtain  thirty  cubits,  and  four  cubits  the 
breadth  of  one  curtain;  one  measure  had  the  eleven 
curtains.  And  he  conjoined  five  curtains  together,  and 
six  curtains  together.  And  he  made  fifty  loops  upon 
the  border  of  the  curtain  on  the  side  of  the  conjunction, 
and  fifty  loops  made  he  upon  the  side  of  the  second  cur¬ 
tain  at  the  place  of  conjuncture.  And  he  made  fifty 
taches  of  brass  to  conjoin  the  tabernacle,  that  it  might 
be  one.  And  he  made  the  covering  of  the  tabernacle  of 
rams'  skins  reddened,  and  a  covering  of  purple  skins 
above.  And  he  made  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle  of 
sittin  wood,  standing.  Ten  cubits  the  length  of  a 
board,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half  the  breadth  of  one  board. 
Two  tenons  for  one  board  corresponding  one  with  the 
other ;  so  made  he  for  all  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle. 
And  he  made  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle  twenty  boards 
on  the  side  towards  the  south.  And  forty  sockets  of 

3  Sara.  Vers.,  “pictures  of  kerubia.” 


432 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

silver  made  he  under  the  twenty  boards,  two  sockets 
under  one  board  for  its  two  tenons,  and  two  sockets 
under  one  board  for  its  two  tenons.  And  for  the 
second  .side  of  the  tabernacle  toward  the  north  he 
made  twenty  boards,  and  their  forty  sockets  of  silver ; 
two  sockets  under  one  board,  and  two  sockets  under 
one  board.  And  for  the  side  of  the  tabernacle  west¬ 
ward  he  made  six  boards ;  and  two  boards  made  he  at 
the  corners  of  the  tabernacle  at  their  extremities.  And 
they  were  compacted  in  the  lower  part  together,  and 
compacted  in  their  upper  part  by  one  ring;  thus  did  he 
at  both  of  the  two  corners.  And  there  were  eight 
boards,  and  their  sockets  of  silver,  sixteen  sockets,  two 
and  two,  under  each  board.  And  he  made  bars  of  sit- 
tin  wood ;  five  for  the  boards  of  one  side  of  the  tabernacle, 
and  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  second  side  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  extremity  of  the  tabernacle, 
westward.  And  he  made  a  middle  bar  to  pass  through, 
in  the  midst  of  the  boards  from  end  to  end.  And  the 
boards  he  overlaid  with  gold,  and  their  rings  made  he 
of  gold  (to  be)  places  for  the  bars,  and  he  covered  the 
bars  with  gold. 

And  he  made  the  Veil  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  fine  linen ;  of  the  work  of  the  embroiderer 
he  made  it,  with  forms  of  kerubin.  And  he  made  for 
it  four  pillars  of  sittin,  and  covered  (them)  with  gold, 
and  their  hooks  of  gold,  and  cast  for  them  four  sockets 
of  silver.  And  he  made  a  curtain  for  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and 
fine  linen,  the  work  of  the  embroiderer.  And  its  five 
pillars  and  their  hooks  ;  and  he  overlaid  their  capitals, 
and  covered  them  and  their  joining  rods  with  gold,  and 
their  five  bases  (made  he)  of  brass. 

XXXVII.  And  Bezalel  made  the  Ark  of  sittin  woods  ; 
two  cubits  and  a  half  its  length,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half 


xxxvii.]  on  exodus.  433 

its  breadth,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half  its  height.  And  he 
covered  it  with  pure  gold  within  and  without,  and  made 
for  it  a  wreath  of  gold  round  about.  And  he  cast  for 
it  four  rings  of  gold  upon  its  four  corners,  two  rings  on 
the  one  side  of  it,  and  two  rings  on  the  second  side. 
And  he  made  staves  of  sittin  wood,  and  covered  them 
with  gold.  And  he  introduced  the  staves  into  the  rings 
on  the  sides  of  the  ark,  for  carrying  the  ark. 

And  he  made  the  Mercy  Seat  of  pure  gold ;  two 
cubits  and  a  half  its  length,  and  a  cubit  and°a  half  its 
breadth.  And  he  made  two  kerubim,  of  beaten  gold 
he  made  them,  at  the  two  sides  of  the  mercy  seat.  One 
keruba  on  this  side,  and  one  keruba  on  that  side  of 
the  mercy  seat ;  he  made  the  kerubaia  from  its  two 
sides.  And  the  kerubaia  spread  out  their  wings  above, 
overshadowing  the  mercy  seat  with  their  wings;  and 
their  faces  were  one  towards  the  other,  over  against  the 
mercy  seat  were  the  faces  of  the  kerubaia. 

And  he  made  the  Table  of  sittin  woods ;  two  cubits  its 
length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half 
its  height.  And  he  covered  it  with  pure  gold,  and 
made  for  it  a  golden  crown  round  about,  and  made 
for  it  a  rim,1  its  height  a  span,  round  about ;  and  he 
made  a  crown  of  gold  for  its  rim  round  about.  And 
he  cast  for  it  four  golden  rings,  and  set  the  rings  upon 
the  four  corners  of  its  four  feet.  Over  against  the  rim 
were  the  rings  to  be  the  place  of  the  staves  for  carrying 
the  table.  And  he  made  the  vessels  which  were  to  be 
upon  the  table ;  its  dishes,  and  its  vases,  and  its  mea¬ 
sures,  and  the  cups  with  which  (the  libations)  are  out¬ 
poured,  of  pure  gold. 

And  he  made  the  Candelabrum  of  pure  gold,  beaten 
made  he  the  candelabrum,  its  rest,  its  shaft,  its  cups,  its 
apples,3  and  its  lilies  were  of  the  same.  And  six 
1  Sam.  Vers.,  “a  wreath.”  2  Or,  “ spherieles  ” 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


43-Jt 


[chap. 


branchlets  proceeded  from  its  sides ;  three  branclilets 
of  the  candelabrum  on  one  side,  and  three  branchlets  of 
the  candelabrum  on  the  second  side.  Three  cups  figu- 
rated  on  one  branchlet,  an  apple,  and  a  lily :  so  the  six 
branchlets  which  proceeded  from  the  candelabrum. 
And  on  the  candelabrum  four  cups  figurated,  its  apples 
and  its  lilies.  An  apple  under  two  branchlets  of  the 
same,  and  an  apple  under  two  branchlets  of  the  same, 
and  an  apple  under  two  branchlets  of  the  same,  for  the 
six  branchlets  that  proceeded  from  it.  Their  apples  and 
their  branches  were  of  the  same,  all  of  one  beaten  work 
of  pure  gold.  And  he  made  its  seven  lamps,  and  its 
snuffers,  and  its  receivers  of  pure  gold ;  of  a  talent  of 
pure  gold  made  he  it,  and  all  its  vessels. 

And  he  made  the  Altar  of  sweet  Incense  of  sittin 
wood  ;  its  length  a  cubit,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  four¬ 
square,  and  two  cubits  the  height  of  it;  of  the  same 
were  its  horns.  And  he  overlaid  it  with  pure  gold,  its  top 
and  its  sides  round  about,  and  its  horns  :  and  he  made  for 
it  a  golden  crown  round  about.  And  two  rings  of  gold 
made  he  for  it  under  its  crown,  upon  its  two  sides,  the 
place  for  the  staves  by  which  to  carry  it.  And  he  made 
the  staves  of  sittin  wood,  and  overlaid  them  with  gold. 
And  he  made  the  oil  for  holy  anointment,  and  the  pure 
sweet  incense,  the  work  of  the  perfumer. 

XXXYIII.  And  he  made  the  Altar  of  Burnt  Offer¬ 
ing  of  sittin  wood ;  five  cubits  its  length,  and  five  cubits 
its  breadth,  four-square,  and  three  cubits  its  height. 
And  he  made  its  horns  upon  its  four  corners,  of  the 
same  wrere  its  horns,  and  he  coated  it  with  brass.  And 
he  made  all  the  vessels  of  the  altar,  the  caldrons,  and 
the  cleaners,  and  the  basins,  and  the  fleshhooks,  and  the 
receivers ;  all  its  vessels  made  he  of  brass.  And  he 
made  for  the  altar  a  brasen  grate  of  network,  under  its 
border  beneath,  (reaching)  unto  its  middle.  And  he 


XXX VIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  435 

cast  four  rings  for  the  four  corners  of  the  brasen  grate, 
the  place  for  the  staves.  And  he  made  the  staves  of 
sittin  wood,  and  overlaid  them  with  brass.  And  he  put 
the  staves  into  the  rings  upon  the  sides  of  the  altar  by 
which  to  carry  it ;  hollow  with  boards  he  made  it. 

And  he  made  the  Laver  of  brass,  and  its  base  of  brass, 
of  the  mirrors  of  the  women  who  come  to  pray  at  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance.  And  he  made  the 
court,  the  southern  side  of  which  was  of  hangings  for 
the  court,  of  fine  linen  twined,  of  a  hundred  cubits ; 
their  pillars  twenty,  and  their  sockets  twenty,  of  brass ; 
the  hooks,  pillars,  and  their  uniting  rods  of  silver.  And 
for  the  northern  side  (hangings)  of  a  hundred  cubits, 
their  pillars  twenty,  and  their  sockets  twenty,  of  brass  ; 
the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and  their  uniting  rods  of 
silver.  And  for  the  western  side,  curtains,  fifty  cubits ; 
their  pillars  ten,  and  their  sockets  ten ;  the  hooks  of 
the  pillars  and  their  uniting  rods  of  silver.  And  on  the 
eastern  side,  eastward,  fifty  cubits.  The  hangings 
fifteen  cubits  on  (one)  side  (of  the  gate),  their  pillars 
three,  and  their  bases  three.  And  on  the  second  side 
of  the  gate  of  the  court,  here  and  there,  hangings,  fif¬ 
teen  cubits ;  their  pillars  three,  and  their  bases  three. 
All  the  hangings  of  the  court  round  about  were 
of  fine  linen  twined.  And  the  bases  of  the  pillars 
were  of  brass,  the  hooks,  pillars,  and  their  uniting  rods 
of  silver,  and  the  overlaying  of  their  heads  was  of 
silver,  and  there  were  uniting  rods  of  silver  for  all  the 
pillars  of  the  court.  And  the  veil  for  the  gate  of 
the  court  was  the  work  of  the  embroiderer,  hyacinth, 
and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen ;  and  twenty 
cubits  was  its  length,  and  the  height,  in  the  breadth  five 
cubits,  according  (to  the  height  of)  the  curtains  of  the 
court.  And  their  pillars  four,  and  their  bases  four,  of 
brass,  and  their  hooks  silver,  and  the  overlaying  of  their 


436 


TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS 


[chap. 

heads  and  their  uniting  rods,  silver.  And  all  the  pins  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  of  the  court  round  about,  were  of 
brass. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

PEKUDEY. 

These  are  the  admeasurements  3  of  the  Tabernacle, 
the  Tabernacle  of  the  Testimony,  as  they  were  numbered 
upon  the  word  of  Mosheh :  the  service  of  the  Levites 
by  the  hand  of  Ithamar  bar  Aharon  the  priest.  And 
Bezalel  bar  Uri  bar  Hur  of  the  tribe  of  Jehudah  made 
all  that  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  And  with  him 
Ahaliab  bar  Achisamak,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  a  wood¬ 
worker,  and  artificer,  and  embroiderer  in  hyacinth, 
and  in  purple,  and  in  crimson,  and  in  fine  linen.  And 
all  the  gold  which  was  used  in  making  all  the  work  of 
the  sanctuary,  and  which  had  been  a  separation 4  (there¬ 
unto),  was  twenty  and  nine  talents,  and  seven  hundred 
and  thirty  shekels,  of  the  shekels  of  the  sanctuary. 
And  the  silver  of  the  numbered  ones  of  the  congrega¬ 
tion  was  a  hundred  talents,  and  a  thousand  and  seven 
hundred  and  seventy  and  five  shekels,  in  the  shekels  of 
the  sanctuary.  The  weight  was  (appointed)  by  capita¬ 
tion  ;  a  half  shekel,  in  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary,  for 
every  one  who  passed  to  the  adnumberments  from  twenty 
years  (old)  and  upward,  for  six  hundred  and  three  thou¬ 
sand  and  five  hundred  and  fifty  men. 

And  the  hundred  talents  of  silver  were  for  casting  the 
bases  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  bases  of  the  veil  (or  tent), 
a  hundred  bases  with  a  hundred  talents,  a  talent  for  a 
3  Or,  “  numerations.”  4  Some  copies,  “  gold  of  the  offering.” 


437 


XXXIX.]  ON  EXODUS. 

base.  And  with  the  thousand  and  seven  hundred  and 
seventy  and  five  (shekels)  he  made  the  hooks  for  the 
pillars,  and  covered  their  capitals,  and  made  their  uniting 
rods.  And  the  brass  of  the  oblation  was  seventy 
talents,  and  two  thousand  and  four  hundred  shekels. 
And  with  it  he  made  the  bases  of  the  door  of  the 
Tabernacle  of  Ordinance,  and  the  altar  of  brass,  and  the 
brasen  grate  which  pertained  to  it,  and  all  the  vessels 
of  the  altar ;  and  the  bases  of  the  court  round  about, 
and  the  bases  of  the  door  of  the  court,  and  all  the  pins 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  all  the  pins  of  the  court  round 
about. 

XXXIX.  And  of  the  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  they  made  the  vestments  of  ministration  to 
minister  in  the  sanctuary,  and  they  made  the  holy  vest¬ 
ments  of  Aharon,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 
And  he  made  the  ephoda  of  gold,  hyacinth,  and  purple, 
and  crimson,  and  fine  linen  twined.  And  they  beat 
out 5  the  plates  of  gold,  and  cut  (them)  into  threads,  to 
insert  into  the  hyacinth,  and  the  purple,  and  the  crim¬ 
son,  and  the  fine  linen,  the  work  of  the  artificer. 
Shoulder-pieces  made  they  for  it,  conjoined ;  at  the  two 
sides  were  they  conjoined.  And  the  band  of  its  fasten¬ 
ing  which  is  upon  it  was  of  the  same  according  to  its 
work,  of  gold,  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and 
fine  linen  twined,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded 
Mosheh. 

And  they  wrought  the  onyx  stones,  inset  in  sockets 
of  gold,  engraven  in  distinct  writing,  with  the  names  of 
the  sons  of  Israel.  And  he  set  them  upon  the 
shoulders  of  the  ephoda,  stones  of  memorial  of  the  sons 
of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 

And  he  made  the  Breastplate  ( chushena :),  the  work 
of  the  artificer,  according  to  the  work  of  the  ephoda,  of 
5  Sam.  Vers.,  “  broadened/’ 


438  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

gold,  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen 
twined.  Four-square  was  it,  doubled  made  they  the 
breastplate ;  a  span  its  length,  and  a  span  its  breadth, 
doubled.  And  they  filled  it 6  with  four  rows  of  precious 
stones  :  the  first  row  carnelian,  topaz,  and  carbuncle, 
row  one ;  the  second  row,  smaragd,  sapphire,  and  eme¬ 
rald;  and  the  third  row,  jacinth,  agate,  and  amethyst; 
and  the  fourth  row,  chrysolite,  beryl,  and  jasper :  they 
were  set  in  sockets  of  gold,  in  their  infillings.  And 
the  stones  were  according  to  the  names  of  the  sons  of 
Israel,  twelve,  according  to  their  names,  written  dis¬ 
tinctly,  as  the  engraving  of  a  ring,  each  according  to 
his  name  for  the  twelve  tribes.  And  they  made  upon 
the  breastplate  chains  enwreathed,7  a  work  of  braiding, 
of  pure  gold.  And  they  made  two  sockets  of  gold,  and 
two  golden  rings,  and  put  the  two  rings  upon  the  two 
sides  of  the  breastplate.  And  they  put  the  two  golden 
wreaths  upon  the  two  rings  upon  the  sides  of  the  breast¬ 
plate,  and  the  two  wreaths  which  were  upon  the  two 
sides  they  put  upon  the  two  sockets,  and  set  them  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  ephoda  towards  its  face.  And 
they  made  two  rings  of  gold,  and  set  them  on  the  two 
sides  of  the  breastplate,  upon  its  edge  which  was  on  the 
side  of  the  ephoda  inward.  And  they  made  two  golden 
rings,  and  set  them  on  the  two  shoulders  of  the  ephoda 
underneath  towards  its  front,  toward  the  place  of  its 
conjoinment,  above  the  band  of  the  ephoda.  And  they 
adunited  the  breastplate  by  its  rings  to  the  rings  of  the 
ephoda,  by  a  ribbon  of  hyacinth,  to  be  upon  the  band  of 
the  ephoda,  that  the  breastplate  might  not  be  loosened 
from  the  ephoda,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.8 

8  Sara.  Vers.,  “fitted.”  7  Sam.  Vers.,  “wreathed  chains.” 

8  The  Samaritan  Text  adds  here:  "And  they  made  the  Urim  and 
Thummim”  (Version,  “elucidations  and  perfections”)  “as  the  Lord 
commanded  Mosheh.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


439 


XXXIX.] 

And  he  made  the  Robe  of  the  ephoda,  the  work  of 
the  embroiderer,  altogether  of  hyacinth.  And  the  open¬ 
ing  (mouth)  of  the  robe  in  the  middle  of  it  like  the 
opening  of  a  corslet,  with  a  binding  going  about  its 
border,  that  it  might  not  be  torn.  And  they  made  upon 
the  hem  of  the  robe  pomegranates  of  hyacinth  and 
purple  and  crimson  inwoven.  And  they  made  bells  of 
pure  gold,  and  set  the  bells  among  the  pomegranates 
upon  the  hem  of  the  robe  round  about  among  the 
pomegranates.  A  bell  and  a  pomegranate,  a  bell  and  a 
pomegranate,  upon  the  hem  of  the  robe  round  about, 
to  minister,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 

And  they  made  the  tunics  of  fine  linen,  the  work  of 
the  weaver,  for  Aharon  and  for  his  sons.  And  the 
tiara  of  fine  linen,  and  the  mitres  of  beauty  of  fine 
linen ;  and  the  drawers  of  linen,  of  fine  linen  twined. 
And  the  girdle  of  fine  linen  twined,  and  hyacinth  and 
purple  and  crimson,  the  work  of  the  embroiderer,  as  the 
Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  And  they  made  the  plate 
of  the  diadem  of  holiness  of  pure  gold,  and  wrote  upon 
it  as  the  engraving  of  a  ring  in  distinct  writing. 
Holiness  unto  the  Lord.  And  they  put  upon  it  a 
ribbon  of  hyacinth,  that  it  might  be  upon  the  tiara 
above,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 

And  completed  was  all  the  work  of  the  tabernacle, 
the  tabernacle  of  ordinance ;  and  the  sons  of  Israel  did 
according  to  all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded  Mosheh, 
so  did  they.  And  they  brought  the  tabernacle  to 
Mosheh,  the  tabernacle  and  all  its  vessels,  its  taches,  its 
boards,  its  bars,  and  its  pillars,  and  its  bases.  And 
the  covering  of  rams*  skins  reddened,  and  the  covering 
of  purple  skins,  and  the  veil  for  the  hanging  ;  and  the 
ark  of  the  testimony  and  its  staves,  and  the  mercy  seat ; 
the  table  and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  bread  of  the  Pre¬ 
sence  ;  the  pure  candelabrum  and  its  lamps,  the  lamps 


440  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  [CHAP. 

of  order,  and  all  its  vessels  ;  and  the  oil  for  the  light ; 
and  the  golden  altar,  and  the  oil  of  consecration,  and 
the  sweet  incense ;  and  the  hanging  for  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle ;  and  the  brasen  altar  and  the  brasen  grate 
for  it;  its  staves  and  all  its  vessels;  and  the  laver  and 
its  base,  the  hangings  of  the  court,  its  pillars,  and  its 
sockets,  and  the  veil  for  the  gate  of  the  court,  its  cords, 
and  its  pins,  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  service  of  the 
tabernacle,  for  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance ;  the  vest¬ 
ments  of  ministration  to  minister  in  the  sanctuary,  and 
the  holy  vestments  of  Aharon  the  priest,  and  the  vest¬ 
ments  of  his  sons  to  minister  :  according  to  all  that  the 
Lord  commanded  Mosheh,  so  made  the  sons  of  Israel  all 
the  service.  And  Mosheh  surveyed  all  the  work,  and, 
behold,  they  had  done  it  as  the  Lord  had  commanded, 
so  had  they  done ;  and  Mosheh  blessed  them. 

XL.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  In 
the  day  of  ,tlie  first  month,  in  the  first  of  the  month, 
thou  shalt  uprear  the  tabernacle,  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance.  And  thou  shalt  set  there  the  ark  of  the  testi¬ 
mony,  and  outspread  the  veil  before  the  ark ;  and  thou 
shalt  bring  in  the  table,  and  arrange  the  order  thereof. 
And  thou  shalt  bring  in  the  candelabrum,  and  kindle 
its  lamps.  And  thou  shalt  put  the  golden  altar  of 
sweet  incense  before  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  and  set 
the  veil  of  the  door  of  the  tabernacle.  And  thou  shalt 
put  the  altar  of  burnt  offering  before  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance.  And  thou 
shalt  place  the  laver  between  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance 
and  the  altar,  and  put  water  therein.  And  thou  shalt 
set  the  court  round  about,  and  put  the  hanging  at  the 
"ate  of  the  court.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  oil  of  con- 

O 

secration,  and  anoint  the  tabernacle  and  all  that  is 
therein,  and  sanctify  it,  and  all  its  vessels,  and  it  shall 
be  holy.  And  thou  shalt  anoint  the  altar  of  burnt 


ON  EXODUS. 


441 


XL.] 


offering,  and  all  its  vessels,  and  sanctify  the  altar ;  and 
it  shall  be  an  altar  most  holy.  And  thou  shalt  anoint 
the  laver  and  its  base,  and  sanctify  it.  And  thou  shalt 
bring  Aharon  and  his  sons  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle 
of  ordinance,  and  lave  them  with  water,  and  shalt  clothe 
Aharon  with  the  holy  vestments,  and  anoint  him,  and 
consecrate  him,  that  he  may  minister  before  Me.  And 
thou  shalt  bring  his  sons,  and  clothe  them  with  the 
tunics,  and  consecrate  them,  as  thou  didst  consecrate 
their  father,  that  they  may  minister  before  Me,  and  that 
it  may  be  to  them  the  consecration 9  of  a  perpetual 
priesthood  in  their  generations. 

And  Mosheh  did  according  to  all  which  the  Lord 
commanded,  so  did  he.  And  it  was  in  the  first  month, 
in  the  second  year,  on  the  first  of  the  month,  that  the 
tabernacle  was  reared.  And  Mosheh  reared  the  taber¬ 
nacle,  and  placed  its  bases,  and  set  its  boards,  and  fixed 
its  bars,  and  reared  its  pillars ;  and  he  spread  the  tent 
upon  the  tabernacle,  and  set  the  covering  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle  over  it,  above,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 
And  he  took  and  placed  the  testimony  in  the  ark,  and 
set  the  staves  upon  the  ark,  and  placed  the  mercy  seat 
upon  the  ark  above.  And  he  brought  the  ark  into  the 
tabernacle,  and  placed  the  veil  which  was  spread  to 
overshadow  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  as  the  Lord  com¬ 
manded  Mosheh.  And  he  placed  the  table  in  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance  upon  the  side  of  the  tabernacle 
northward  without  the  veil.  And  he  set  in  order  upon 
it  the  rows  of  bread  before  the  Lord,  as  the  Lord  com¬ 
manded  Mosheh.  And  he  set  the  candelabrum  in  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance  over  against  the  table  on  the 
side  of  the  tabernacle  southward.  And  he  kindled  the 
lamps  before  the  Lord,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 
And  he  set  the  golden  altar  in  the  tabernacle  of  ordi- 
'  Sam.  Vers.,  “  excellence.” 

u  5 


442  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  ON  EXODUS. 

nance  before  the  veil,  and  burned  thereon  sweet  incense, 
as  the  Lord  commanded  Moslieh.  .  And  he  set  the 
hanging  of  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  altar  of 
burnt  offering  set  he  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance,  and  offered  upon  it  the  burnt  offering,  and 
the  oblation,  (mincha,)  as 'the  Lord  had  commanded 
Mosheh.  And  he  set  the  laver  between  the  tabernacle 
of  ordinance  and  the  altar,  and  put  water  therein  for 
purifying.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  and  his  sons 
purified  with  it  their  hands  and  their  feet.  In  their 
going  into  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  in  their 
approachment  to  the  altar,  they  purified  (themselves),  as 
the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  And  he  set  up  the 
court,  round  about  the  tabernacle  and  the  altar,  and  set 
the  hanging  of  the  gate  of  the  court :  and  Mosheh  com¬ 
pleted  the  work. 

And  the  Cloud  covered  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance, 
and  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  tabernacle.  And 
Mosheh  was  not  able  to  enter  into  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance,  because  the  Cloud  abode  upon  it,  and  the 
Glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  tabernacle.  And  when  the 
Cloud  ascended  above  the  tabernacle,  the  sons  of  Israel 
went  forward  in  all  their  journeys.  And  if  the  Cloud 
did  not  ascend,  they  did  not  proceed,  until  the  day  of 
its  uprising.  Lor  the  Cloud  of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord 
was  upon  the  tabernacle  by  day,  and  the  vision  of  fire 
was  in  it  by  night,  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  house  of  Israel 
in  all  their  journeys. 


END  OF  THE  TARGUM  OF  ONKELOS  ON  SHEMOTH. 


THE  PALESTINIAN  TARGUM 

ON 

THE  BOOK  SHEMOTH, 

OR 

EXODUS. 


SECTION  OF  THE  LAW  XIII.  TITLE  SHEMOTH. 

And  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel  who 
went  into  Mizraim  with  Jakob,  each  with  the  men  of 
his  house  entered  in  :  Beuben,  Shimeon,  Levi,  and 
Jehudah ;  Issakar,  Zebulon,  and  Benjamin ;  Dan  and 
Naphtali ;  Gad  and  Asher.  And  the  number  of  all  the 
souls  coming  from  the  thigh  of  Jakob,  seventy  souls, 
with  Joseph  and  his  sons,  who  were  in  Mizraim. 

And  Joseph  died,  and  after  him  died  all  his  brethren, 
and  all  that  generation.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  increased, 
and  multiplied  children,  and  became  strong,  and  pre¬ 
vailed  greatly,  and  the  land  was  filled  with  them.  And 
there  arose  a  new  king  (other)  than  he  who  was  for¬ 
merly  over  Mizraim,  who  took  no  knowledge  of  Joseph, 
and  walked  not  in  his  laws.  [Jerusalem  Targum. 
And  a  king  arose  (different  from  him  who  was) 
formerly  over  Mizraim,  who  took  no  knowledge  of 
Joseph,  and  walked  not  in  his  laws.]  And  he  said  to 
his  people,  Behold  now,  the  people  of  the  house  of 
Israel  are  many,  and  are  stronger  than  we.  Come,  let 


444  TAEGU M  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

us  take  counsel  against  them  in  these  matters,  to 
diminish  them  that  they  multiply  not,  so  as  that,  should 
war  be  arrayed  against  us,  they  be  not  added  to  our 
adversaries,  and  destroy  us  that  not  one  of  us  be  left, 
and  they  afterward  go  forth  from  the  land.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  they  kill  us,  and  go  up  in  peace  from  the 
land.]  And  they  set  over  them  work-masters  to  afflict 
them  in  their  servitude ;  and  they  builded  walled  cities 
to  become  Pharoh's  treasure-places,  Tanis  and  Pilusin. 
[Jerusalem.  Tanis  and  Pilusin.]  But  as  much  as  they 
depressed  them,  so  much  they  multiplied,  and  so  much 
they  prevailed,  and  the  Mizraee  were  troubled  in  their 
lives  before  the  sons  'of  Israel.  And  the  Mizraee 
enslaved  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  made  their  lives  bitter 
by  hard  service  in  clay  and  bricks,  and  all  the  labour  of 
the  face  of  the  field ;  and  in  all  the  work  which  they 
made  them  do  was  hardness. 

And  Pharoh  told  that  he,  being  asleep,  had  seen  in 
his  dream,  and,  behold,  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  was 
placed  in  one  scale  of  a  balance,  and  a  lamb,  the  young 
of  a  sheep,  was  in  the  other  scale ;  and  the  scale  with 
the  lamb  in  it  overweighed.  Porthwith  he  sent  and 
called  all  the  magicians  of  Mizraim,  and  imparted  to 
them  his  dream.  Immediately  Jannis  and  Jambres,  the 
chief  of  the  magicians,  opened  their  mouth  and  answered 
Pharoh, — A  certain  child  is  about  to  be  born  in  the 
congregation  of  Israel,  by  whose  hand  will  be  destruc¬ 
tion  to  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  Therefore  did  Pharoh, 
king  of  Mizraim,  give  counsel  to  the  Jehudith  mid¬ 
wives,  the  name  of  one  of  whom  was  Shifra,  who  is 
Jokeved,  and  the  name  of  the  other  Puvah,  who  is 
Miriam  her  daughter.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  king  of 
Mizraim  told  the  Hebrew  midwives,  the  name  of  the 
first  of  whom  was  Shifra,  and  she  was  Jokeved,  and  the 
name  of  the  second  Puvah,  she  was  Miriam.]  And 


ON  EXODUS. 


445 


II.] 


he  said,  When  you  attend  Jehudith  women,  and  see 
them  bear,  if  it  be  a  male  child,  you  shall  kill  him ;  but 
if  a  daughter,  you  may  let  her  live.  But  the  mid  wives 
feared  before  the  Lord,  and  would  not  do  according  to 
what  the  king  of  Mizraim  had  said  to  them,  but  they 
saved  the  children.  And  the  king  of  Mizraim  called 
the  midwives,  and  said  to  them,  Why  have  you  done 
this  thing,  and  have  saved  the  children  ?  And  the  mid¬ 
wives  said  to  Pharoh,  The  Jehudith  women  are  not  as 
the  Mizraite,  for  they  are  sturdy  (or,  courageous)  and 
wise-minded  :  before  the  midwife  cometh  to  them  they 
lift  up  their  eyes  in  prayer,  supplicating  mercy  before 
their  Bather  wTlo  is  in  heaven,  who  heareth  the  voice 
of  their  prayer,  and  at  once  they  are  heard,  and  bring 
forth,  and  are  delivered  in  peace.  [Jerusalem.  Because 
they  are  vivacious,  and  before  the  midwife  cometh  to 
them  they  pray  before  their  Bather  who  is  in  heaven, 
and  He  answereth  them,  and  they  bring  forth.]  And 
the  Lord  did  good  to  the  midwives,  and  the  people  mul¬ 
tiplied  and  prevailed  greatly.  And  forasmuch  as  the 
midwives  feared  before  the  Lord,  they  obtained  for 
themselves  a  good  name  unto  the  ages  ;  and  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  up-builded  for  them  a  royal  house,  even  the 
house  of  the  high  priesthood.  [Jerusalem.  Because 
the  midwives  feared  before  the  Lord,  they  obtained  for 
themselves  a  good  name  in  the  midst  of  the  ages,  and 
made  unto  themselves  houses, — the  house  of  the  Levites 
and  the  house  of  the  high  priesthood.]  But  when 
Pharoh  saw  this,  he  commanded  all  his  people,  saying, 
Every  male  child  that  is  born  to  the  Jehudaee  you 
shall  cast  into  the  river ;  but  every  daughter  you  may 
spare. 

II.  And  Amram,  a  man  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  went 
and  returned  to  live  in  marriage  with  Jokeved  his  wife, 
whom  he  had  put  away  on  account  of  the  decree  of 


446  TAR  GUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Pharoh.  [Jerusalem.  And  there  went  a  man  of  the 
tribe  of  Levi  and  took  Jokeved,  who  was  beloved  of 
him,  (or,  who  was  related  to  him,)  to  wife.]  And  she 
was  the  daughter  of  a  hundred  and  thirty  years  when 
he  returned  to  her;  but  a  miracle  was  wrought  in  her, 
and  she  returned  unto  youth  as  she  was,  when  in  her 
minority  she  was  called  the  daughter  of  Levi.  And 
the  woman  conceived  and  bare  a  son  at  the  end  of  six 
months;  and  she  saw  him  to  be  a  child  of  steadfastness, 
(or,  of  steadfast  life,)  and  hid  him  three  months,  which 
made  the  number  nine.  But  she  could  conceal  him  no 
longer,  for  the  Mizraee  had  become  aware  of  him.  And 
she  took  an  ark  of  papyrus,  {tunes,)  and  coated  it  with 
bitumen  and  pitch,  and  placed  the  child  within  it,  and 
laid  him  among  the  reeds  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 
And  Miriam  his  sister  stood  at  a  distance  to  take 

knowledge  of  what  would  be  done  to  him.  And  the 
°  .  • 

Word  of  the  Lord  sent  forth  a  burning  sore  and  inflam¬ 
mation  of  the  flesh  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim ;  and  the 
daughter  of  Pharoh  came  down  to  refresh  herself  at  the 
river.  And  her  handmaids,  walking  upon  the  bank  of 
the  river,  saw  the  ark  among  the  reeds,  and  put  forth 
the  arm  and  took  it,  and  were  immediately  healed  of  the 
burning  and  inflammation.  And  she  opened,  and  saw 
the  child,  and,  behold,  the  babe  wept;  and  she  had 
compassion  upon  him,  and  said,  This  is  one  of  the 
children  of  the  Jehudaee.  And  his  sister  said  to 
PharolTs  daughter,  May  I  go  and  call  for  thee  a  nursing 
woman  from  the  Jehudesses,  to  suckle  the  babe  for 
thee  ?  And  Pharoh's  daughter  said,  Go ;  and  the 
damsel  went  and  called  the  child's  mother.  And  the 
daughter  of  Pharoh  said,  Take  this  child  and  suckle 
it  for  me,  and  I  will  give  thee  thy  wages.  And  the 
woman  took  the  child  and  suckled  him.  And  the  child 
grew,  and  was  brought  to  Pharoh' s  daughter,  and  he 


ON  EXODUS. 


447 


II.] 

was  beloved  by  her  as  a  son ;  and  she  called  his  name 
Mosheh,  Because,  said  she,  I  drew  him  out  of  the  water 
of  the  river.  [Jerusalem.  I  uplifted  him.] 

And  in  those  days  when  Mosheh  was  grown  up,  he 
went  forth  to  his  brethren,  and  saw  the  anguish  of 
their  souls,  and  the  greatness  of  their  toil.  And  he  saw 
a  Mizraite  man  strike  a  Jewish  man  of  his  brethren ; 
and  Mosheh  turned,  and  considered  in  the  wisdom  of 
his  mind,  and  understood  that  in  no  generation  would 
there  arise  a  proselyte  from  that  Mizraite  man,  and  that 
none  of  his  children's  children  would  ever  be  con¬ 
verted  ;  and  he  smote  the  Mizraite,  and  buried  him  in 
the  sand.  [Jerusalem.  And  Mosheh,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  considering  both  the  young  men,  saw  that, 
behold,  no  proselyte  would  ever  spring  from  that 
Mizraite ;  and  he  killed  him,  and  hid  him  in  the  sand.] 
And  he  went  out  the  second  day,  and  looked ;  and, 
behold,  Dathan  and  Abiram,  men  of  the  Jehudaee,  con¬ 
tended  ;  and  seeing  Dathan  put  forth  his  hand  against 
Abiram  to  smite  him,  he  said  to  him,  Wherefore  dost 
thou  smite  thy  companion  ?  And  Dathan  said  to  him. 
Who  is  he  who  hath  appointed  thee  a  chief  man  and  a 
judge  over  us  ?  Wilt  thou  kill  me,  said  he,  as  thou 
didst  the  Mizraite  ?  And  Mosheh  was  afraid,  and  said, 
Verily,  the  thing  has  become  known.  And  Pharoh 
heard  this  thing,  and  sought  to  kill  Mosheh  ;  and 
Mosheh  escaped  before  Pharoh,  to  dwell  in  the  land  of 
Midian.  And  he  sat  by  a  well.  And  the  priest  of 
Midian  had  seven  daughters ;  and  they  came  and  drew, 
and  filled  the  watering-troughs,  to  give  drink  to  the 
flocks  of  their  father.  But  the  shepherds  came  and 
drave  them  away.  And  Mosheh  arose  in  the  power  of 
his  might,  and  rescued  them,  and  gave  the  flocks  drink. 
And  they  came  to  Keuel,  their  grandfather,  who  said  to 
them,  How  is  it  that  you  are  come  (so)  early  to-day  ? 


448  T  All  GUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  they  replied,  A  Mizraite  man  not  only  delivered  us 
from  the  hand  of  the  shepherds,  but  also  himself  draw¬ 
ing  drew  and  watered  the  flock.  And  he  said  to  his 
son's  daughters,  And  where  is  he  ?  Why  did  you  leave 
the  man  ?  Call  him,  and  let  him  eat  bread.  But  when 
Beuel  knew  that  Mosheh  had  fled  from  before  Pliaroh, 
he  cast  him  into  a  pit ;  but  Zipporah,  the  daughter  of 
his  son,  maintained  him  with  food,  secretly,  for  the  time 
of  ten  years ;  and  at  the  end  of  ten  years  brought  him 
out  of  the  pit.  And  Mosheh  went  into  the  bedchamber 
of  Beuel,  and  gave  thanks  and  prayed  before  the  Lord, 
who  by  him  would  work  miracles  and  mighty  acts.  And 
there  was  shown  to  him  the  Bod  which  was  created 
between  the  evenings,  and  on  which  was  engraven  and 
set  forth  the  Great  and  Glorious  Name,  with  which  he 
was  to  do  the  wonders  in  Mizraim,  and  to  divide  the 
sea  of  Suph,  and  to  bring  forth  water  from  the  rock. 
And  it  was  infixed  in  the  midst  of  the  chamber,  and 
he  stretched  forth  his  hand  at  once  and  took  it.  Then, 
behold,  Mosheh  was  willing  to  dwell  with  the  man, 
and  he  gave  Zipporah,  the  daughter  of  his  son,  to 
Mosheh.  And  she  bare  him  a  male  child,  and  he  called 
his  name  Gershom,  Because,  said  he,  a  sojourner  have  I 
been  in  a  strange  land  which  is  not  mine. 

And  it  was  after  many  of  those  days  that  the  king 
of  Mizraim  was  struck  (with  disease),  and  he  com¬ 
manded  to  kill  the  firstborn  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  that 
he  might  bathe  himself  in  their  blood.  And  the  sons 
of  Israel  groaned  with  the  labour  that  was  hard  upon 
them ;  and  they  cried,  and  their  cry  ascended  to  the 
high  heavens  of  the  Lord.  And  He  spake  in  His  Word 
to  deliver  them  from  the  travail.  And  their  cry  was 
heard  before  the  Lord,  and  before  the  Lord  was  the 
covenant  remembered  which  He  had  covenanted  with 
Abraham,  with  Izhak,  and  with  Jakob.  And  the  Lord 


ON  EXODUS. 


449 


III.] 


looked  upon  the  affliction  of  the  bondage  of  the  sons  of 
Israel ;  and  the  repentance  was  revealed  before  Him 
which  they  exercised  in  concealment,  so  as  that  no  man 
knew  that  of  his  companion. 

III.  But  Mosheh  was  keeping  the  flock  of  Jethro  his 
father-in-law,  the  rabba  of  Midian  ;  and  he  had  led  the 
flock  to  a  pleasant  place  of  pasturage  which  is  behind 
the  desert,  and  had  come  to  the  mountain  on  which  was 
revealed  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  even  Horeb.  And 
Zagnugael,  the  angel  of  .the  Lord,  appeared  to  him  in  a 
flame  of  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  bush.  And  he  gazed, 
and,  behold,  the  bush  burned  with  fire,  yet  the  bush  was 
neither  burned  nor  consumed  with  fire.  [Jerusalem:. 
And  he  looked,  and,  behold,  the  bush  burned  with  fire, 
yet  remained  in  freshness,  (or,  was  moist),  neither  was 
it  consumed.]  And  Mosheh  said,  I  will  turn  aside  now 
and  consider  this  great  sight,  why  the  bush  is  not 
burned.  [Jerusalem.  I  will  look  at  this  great  sight, 
wherefore  the  bush  is  refreshed  and  not  burned.]  And 
when  it  was  seen  before  the  Lord  that  he  turned  to 
look,  the  Lord  called  to  him  from  the  midst  of  the 
bush  and  said,  Mosheh,  Mosheh  !  And  he  said,  Behold 
me.  And  He  said,  Approach  not  hither,  take  the  shoe 
from  thy  feet,  for  the  place  on  which  thou  standest  is  a 
holy  place ;  and  upon  it  thou  art  to  receive  the  Law,  to 
teach  it  to  the  sons  of  Israel.  And  He  said,  I  am  the 
God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of 
Izhak,  and  the  God  of  Jakob.  And  Mosheh  covered 
his  face ;  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  upon  the  height  of 
the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord. 

And  He  said,  The  oppression  of  My  people  who  are 
in  Mizraim  is  verily  manifest  before  Me,  and  heard 
before  Me  is  their  cry  on  account  of  them  who  hold 
them  in  bondage ;  for  their  affliction  is  known  before  Me. 
And  I  have  revealed  Myself  to  thee  this  day,  that  by 


450  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

My  Word  they  may  be  delivered  from  the  hand  of  the 
Mizraee,  to  bring  them  up  out  of  the  unclean  land, 
unto  a  good  land,  and  large  in  its  boundaries,  a  land 
yielding  milk  and  honey ;  unto  the  place  where  dwell 
the  Kenaanaee,  and  the  Hittaee,  and  the  Amoraee,  and 
the  Pherizaee,  and  the  Hivaee,  and  the  Jebusaee.  And 
now,  behold,  the  cry  of  the  sons  of  Israel  cometh  up 
before  Me,  and  the  bruising  of  the  Mizraee  wherewith 
they  bruise  them  is  also  revealed  before  Me.  And  now, 
come,  and  I  will  send  thee  unto  Pharoh,  and  thou  shalt 
bring  forth  My  people,  the  sons  of  Israel,  out  of  Mizraim. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Who  am  I,  that  I 
should  go  to  Pharoh,  and  bring  forth  the  sons  of  Israel 
out  of  Mizraim?  But  He  said,  Therefore  My  Word 
shall  be  for  thv  help ;  and  this  shall  be  the  sign  to  thee 
that  I  have  sent  thee :  when  thou  hast  brought  the 
people  forth  from  Mizraim,  ye  shall  worship  before  the 
Lord,  because  ye  shall  have  received  the  Law  upon  this 
mountain. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  will  go 
to  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  say  to  them,  The  Lord  God 
of  your  fathers  hath  sent  me  to  you  :  and  they  will  say 
to  me,  What  is  His  Name  ?  What  shall  I  say  to  them  ? 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mosheh,  He  who  spake,  and 
the  world  was ;  who  spake,  and  all  things  were.  And 
He  said,  This  thou  shalt  say  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  I  am 
He  who  is,  and  who  will  be,  hath  sent  me  unto  you. 
[Jerusalem.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said  to 
Mosheh,  He  who  spake  to  the  world,  Be,  and  it  was ; 
and  who  will  speak  to  it.  Be,  and  it  will  be.  And  He 
said.  Thus  shalt  thou  speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
Eheyeh  1  hath  sent  me  unto  you.]  And  the  Lord  said 
again  unto  Mosheh,  Thus  shalt  thou  speak  to  the  sons 
of  Israel,  The  God  of  your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham, 
1  “  I  will  be.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


451 


IV.] 

the  God  of  Izhak,  and  the  God  of  Jakob,  hath  sent  me 
unto  you.  This  is  His  Name  for  ever,  and  this  is  His 
Memorial  to  every  generation  and  generation. 

Go,  and  assemble  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  say  to 
them.  The  Lord  God  of  your  fathers  hath  appeared  unto 
me,  the  God  of  Abraham,  Izliak,  and  Jakob,  saying, 
Kemembering  I  have  remembered  you,  and  the  injury 
that  is  done  you  in  Mizraim ;  and  I  have  said  in  My 
Word,  I  will  bring  you  up  out  from  the  oppression  of 
the  Mizraee  into  the  land  of  the  Kenaanaee,  and 
Hittaee,  and  Amoraee,  and  Pherizaee,  and  Hivaee,  and 
Jebusaee,  to  the  land  that  yieldeth  milk  and  honey. 
And  they  will  hearken  to  thee  :  and  thou  and  the  elders 
of  Israel  shall  go  to  the  king  of  Mizraim  and  say  to  him, 
The  Lord  God  of  the  Jehudaee  hath  called  us ;  and 
now  let  us  go  a  journey  of  three  days  into  the  wilder¬ 
ness,  to  sacrifice  before  the  Lord  our  God.  But  it  is 
manifest  before  Me  that  the  king  of  Mizraim  will  not 
let  you  go,  (no,)  not  from  fear  of  Him  who  is  Mighty, 
until  that  by  My  Word  he  shall  have  been  punished 
with  evil  plagues.  And  ye  will  be  hindered  there  until 
I  have  sent  forth  the  stroke  of  My  powTer,  and  have 
smitten  the  Mizraee  with  all  My  wonders,  that  I  will 
do  among  them;  and  afterward  he  will  release  you. 
And  I  will  give  this  people  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Mizraee ;  and  it  shall  be  that  when  ye  go  free  from 
thence,  ye  shall  not  go  empty.  But  a  woman  shall  ask 
of  her  neighbour,  and  from  those  next  to  the  wall  of 
her  house,  [Jerusalem.  Eellowr  resident,]  vessels  of 
silver,  and  vessels  of  gold,  and  vestments  ;  and  you  shall 
set  them  as  crowns  upon  your  sons  and  your  daughters, 
and  make  the  Mizraee  empty. 

IV.  And  Mosheh  answered  and  said,  But,  behold,  thev 
will  not  believe  me,  nor  hearken  to  me;  for  they  will 
say,  The  Lord  hath  not  appeared  to  thee.  And  the 


452 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 

Lord  said  to  him.  What  is  that  in  thy  hand  ?  And  he 
said,  The  rod.  And  He  said.  Cast  it  on  the  ground ; 
and  he  cast  it  to  the  ground,  and  it  became  a  serpent ; 
and  Mosheh  fled  from  before  it.  [Jerusalem.  And 
He  said,  Cast  it  on  the  ground ;  and  he  cast  it  on  the 
ground.]  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Stretch  forth 
thy  hand  and  seize  (it)  by  its  tail.  [Jerusalem.  And 
grasp  the  place  of  its  tail.]  And  he  stretched  forth  his 
hand  and  grasped  it,  and  it  became  the  rod  in  his  hand  : 
— Ln  order  that  they  may  believe  that  the  Lord  God  of 
their  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Izhak, 
and  the  God  of  Jakob,  hath  revealed  Himself  to  thee. 
And  the  Lord  said  to  him  again,  Put  now  thy  hand 
within  thy  breast  ( Clioiba ) ;  and  he  put  it  within  his 
breast,  and  withdrew  it,  and,  behold,  his  hand  was 
leprous,  it  was  white  as  snow.  And  He  said,  Return 
thy  hand  into  thy  bosom  ( Aitaph ) ;  and  he  returned 
his  hand  to  his  breast,  and  withdrew  it  from  his  breast, 
and  it  had  become  clean  as  his  flesh.  [Jerusalem. 
Put  now  thy  hand  into  thy  breast,  and  he  put  his  hand 
within  his  breast.]  And  if  they  believe  not  these  two 
signs,  nor  receive  from  thee,  thou  shalt  take  of  the  water 
of  the  river  and  pour  it  on  the  ground,  and  the  water 
that  thou  shalt  take  from  the  river  shall  become  blood 
upon  the  ground. 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  0  Lord,  I  pray  : 
I  am  not  a  man  of  words,  nor  ever  have  been  before 
that  Thou  didst  speak  with  Thy  servant ;  for  I  am  of  a 
staggering3  mouth  and  staggering  speech.  [Jerusalem. 
Por  of  a  staggering  mouth  and  difficult  speech  am  I.] 
And  the  Lord  said,  Who  is  he  who  first  put  the 
language  of  the  mouth  into  the  mouth  of  man  ?  or  who 
hath  appointed  the  dumb  or  the  deaf,  the  open-seeing 
or  the  blind,  but  I  the  Lord  ?  And  now  go,  and  I  by 

*  Or.  “lame.” 


IV.]  ON  EXODUS.  453 

My  Word  will  be  with  the  speaking  of  thy  mouth,  and 
will  teach  thee  what  thou  shalt  say. 

And  he  said,  I  pray  for  mercy  before  the  Lord. 
Send  now  Thy  sending  by  the  hand  of  Phinehas,  by 
whom  it  is  to  be  sent  at  the  end  of  the  days.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  Send  now  by  the  hand  of  him  by  whom  it  is 
opportune  to  send.]  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was 
kindled  against  Mosheh,  and  He  said.  Is  it  not  manifest 
before  Me  that  Aharon  thy  brother  speaking  can  speak  ? 
And,  behold,  also,  he  cometh  forth  to  meet  thee,  and 
will  see  thee  and  rejoice  in  his  heart.  And  thou  shalt 
speak  with  him,  and  put  the  matter  in  his  mouth,  and 
My  Word  shall  be  with  the  word  of  thy  mouth,  and 
with  the  word  of  his  mouth,  and  I  will  instruct  you 
what  you  are  to  do.  And  he  shall  speak  for  thee  with 
the  people,  and  be  to  thee  an  interpreter,  and  thou  to 
him  the  principal,  seeking  instruction  from  before  the 
Lord.  [Jerusalem.  He  shall  be  to  thee  an  interpreter, 
and  thou  to  him  one  inquiring  instruction  from  before 
the  Lord.]  And  this  rod  take  thou  in  thy  hand  to 
work  therewith  the  signs. 

And  Mosheh  went,  and  returned  unto  Jethro  his 
father-in-law,  and  said,  I  will  nowr  go  to  my  brethren 
who  are  in  Mizraim,  to  see  how  they  now  live.  And 
Jethro  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  peace.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Mosheh  in  Midian,  Go,  return  to  Mizraim ; 
for  they  have  come  to  nought,  and  gone  down  from 
their  possessions ;  behold,  all  the  men  wTho  sought  to 
take  thy  life  are  reckoned  as  the  dead. 

And  Mosheh  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and  made 
them  ride  on  the  ass,  and  returned  to  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  took  the  rod  which  he  had 
brought  away  from  the  chamber  of  his  father-in-law ; 
and  it  was  from  the  sapphire  Throne  of  glory,  in  weight 
forty  sein ;  and  upon  it  was  engraven  and  set  forth  the 


454  T  AH  GUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Great  and  Glorious  Name  by  which  the  signs  should  be 
wrought  before  the  Lord  by  his  hand.  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Mosheh,  In  going  to  return  into  Mizraim,  con¬ 
sider  all  the  miracles  that  I  have  put  in  thy  hand,  and 
do  them  before  Pharoh  :  and  I  will  make  obstinate  the 
disposition  (passion)  of  his  heart,  and  he  will  not  deliver 
the  people.  And  thou  shalt  say  to  Pharoh,  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  Israel  is  My  first-born  son ;  and  to  thee  I 
say,  Let  My  son  go  free,  that  he  may  worship  before 
Me;  and  if  thou  refuse  to  let  him  go,  behold,  I  will 
slay  thy  first-born  son. 

But  it  was  on  the  way,  in  the  place  of  lodging,  that 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  met  him,  and  sought  to  kill  him, 
because  Gershom  his  son  had  not  been  circumcised, 
inasmuch  as  Jethro  his  father-in-law  had  not  permitted 
him  to  circumcise  him :  but  Eliezer  had  been  circum¬ 
cised,  by  an  agreement  between  them  two.  And 
Zipporah  took  a  stone,  and  circumcised  the  foreskin  of 
Gershom  her  son,  and  brought  the  severed  part  to  the 
feet  of  the  angel,  the  Destroyer,  and  said.  The  husband 
sought  to  circumcise,  but  the  father-in-law  obstructed 
him ;  and  now  let  this  blood  of  the  circumcision  atone 
for  my  husband.  [Jerusalem.  And  she  circumcised 
the  foreskin  of  her  son,  and  brought  before  the  feet  of 
the  Destroyer,  and  said,  The  husband  would  have  cir¬ 
cumcised,  but  the  father-in-law  did  not  permit  him; 
but  now,  let  the  blood  of  this  circumcision  atone  for 
the  fault  of  this  husband.]  And  the  destroying  angel 
desisted  from  him,  so  that  Zipporah  gave  thanks,  and 
said.  How  lovely  is  the  blood  of  this  circumcision  that 
hath  delivered  my  husband  from  the  angel  of  destruc¬ 
tion  !  [Jerusalem.  And  when  the  Destroyer  had 
ceased  from  him,  Zipporah  gave  thanks  and  said,  How 
lovely  is  the  blood  of  this  circumcision  which  hath 
saved  my  husband  from  the  hand  of  the  angel  of  death  !] 


ON  EXODUS. 


455 


V.] 

And  the  Lord  had  said  to  Aharon,  Go  and  meet 
Mosheh  in  the  desert.  And  he  came  and  met  him  at 
the  mountain  where  was  revealed  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
and  he  embraced  him.  And  Mosheh  delivered  to 
Aharon  all  these  wrords  with  which  he  had  sent  him,  and 
all  the  signs  that  he  had  instructed  him  to  work. 

And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went,  and  gathered 
together  all  the  elders  of  the  sons  of  Israel.  And 
Aharon  spake  all  the  words  which  the  Lord  had  spoken 
with  Mosheh,  and  did  the  signs  in  the  eyes  of  the  peo¬ 
ple.  And  the  people  believed,  and  heard  that  the  Lord 
had  remembered  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  that  their  bond¬ 
age  was  manifest  before  Him ;  and  they  bowed  them¬ 
selves  and  worshipped.  [Jerusalem.  And  they  kneeled 
down.] 

Y.  And  after  this  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  in  unto 
Pharoh,  and  said,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
Israel :  Belease  My  people,  that  they  may  make  unto 
Me  a  festival  in  the  wilderness.  And  Pharoh  said, 
The  name  of  the  Lord  is  not  made  known  to  me,  that  I 
should  receive  His  word  to  release  Israel.  I  have  not 
found  written  in  the  Book  of  the  Angels  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  Of  Him  I  am  not  afraid,  neither  will  I 
release  Israel.  And  they  said.  The  Name  of  the  God  of 
the  Jehudaee  is  invoked  by  (or  upon)  us.  We  will  go, 
then,  to  proceed  three  days  into  the  desert,  and  offer  the 
sacrifices  of  a  festival  before  the  Lord  God,  that  death 
and  slaughter  befall  us  not.  And  the  king  of  Mizraim 
said  to  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  Why  do  you  make  the 
people  cease  from  their  labours  ?  Go  to  your  work. 
And  Pharoh  said,  Behold,  this  people  of  the  land  are 
many,  whom  you  would  stop  from  their  service.  And 
Pharoh  that  day  commanded  the  officers  of  the  people 
and  their  exactors,  saying,  You  shall  no  more  give 
straw  to  the  people  to  cast  bricks  as  heretofore ;  let 


456  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

them  go  and  collect  straw  for  themselves ;  but  the 
(same)  number  of  bricks  which  they  have  heretofore 
made  ye  shall  lay  upon  them,  and  not  diminish  from  it, 
because  they  are  idle ;  therefore  they  clamour,  saying. 
Let  us  go  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  a  festival  before  our 
God.  Make  their  work  strenuous  upon  the  men,  that 
they  may  be  occupied  with  it,  and  not  be  setting  their 
hopes  upon  lying  words.  And  the  officers  and  exactors 
of  the  people  went  forth,  and  said  to  the  people,  Thus 
saith  Pharoh,  I  will  not  give  you  straw ;  you  must  go 
and  take  straw  wherever  you  can  find  it ;  for  your  work 
will  not  in  anywise  be  diminished.  And  the  people  were 
scattered  abroad  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  to  gather 
stubble  for  the  straw.  But  the  officers  were  pressing, 
saying,  Fulfil  your  work  day  by  day,  as  you  did  when 
the  strawr  was  given  you.  And  the  exactors  whom 
Pharoh  set  over  them  as  officers  beat  the  sons  of  Israel, 
saying,  Why  have  not  you  fulfilled  your  appointment, *to 
cast  (the  same  number  of)  bricks  as  heretofore,  to-day 
as  yesterday  ?  And  the  foremen  came,  and  cried  before 
Pharoh,  saying,  Why  hast  thou  dealt  thus  with  thy  ser¬ 
vants  ?  Thou  hast  not  given  thy  servants  the  straw,  and 
(yet)  say  they  to  us,  Make  the  bricks ;  and,  behold,  they 
beat  thy  servants,  and  the  guilty  treatment  of  thy  people 
is  strong : — but  it  goeth  up  !  But  he  said,  You  are 
idle,  idle :  therefore  you  are  saying,  Let  us  go  and  offer 
the  sacrifice  of  a  festival  before  our  God.  And  now,  go, 
work ;  but  the  straw  shall  not  be  given  you,  yet  the 
number  of  the  bricks  you  shall  produce.  And  the  fore¬ 
men  of  the  sons  of  Israel  saw  that  they  were  in  evil, 
(in  his)  saying,  Ye  are  not  to  withhold  the  assignment 
of  your  bricks  from  day  to  day.  And  they  met  Mosheh 
and  Aharon,  who  stood  before  them  when  they  came 
out  from  the  presence  of  Pharoh,  and  they  said  to  them, 
Our  affliction  is  manifest  before  the  Lord,  but  our 


457 


VI.]  ON  EXODUS. 

punishment  is  from  you  who  have  made  our  smell  offen¬ 
sive  before  Pharoh  and  his  servants  ;  for  you  have  occa¬ 
sioned  a  sword  to  be  put  into  their  hand  to  kill  us.  And 
Mosheh  returned  before  the  Lord,  and  said,  0  Lord, 
why  hast  Thou  done  evil  to  this  people,  and  wherefore 
hast  Thou  sent  me  ?  Prom  the  hour  that  I  went  in 
unto  Pharoh  to  speak  in  Thy  name,  this  people  hath 
suffered  evil,  and  delivering  Thou  hast  not  delivered 
them. 

VI.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mosheh,  Now  have  I 
seen  what  Pharoh  hath  done  :  for  by  a  strong  hand 
shall  he  release  them,  and  with  a  strong  hand  drive 
them  forth  from  his  land. 


SECTION  XIV. 

VAERA. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  and  said  to  him, 
I  am  the  Lord  who  revealed  Myself  to  thee  in  the 
midst  of  the  bush,  and  said  to  thee,  I  am  the  Lord. 
And  I  was  revealed  unto  Abraham,  and  to  Izhak,  and 
to  Jakob,  as  El-Shaddai ;  but  My  Name  Ye-ya,  as  it 
discovereth  My  Glory,3  was  not  known  to  them. 
[Jerusalem.  And  the  Lord  was  revealed  in  His  Word 
unto  Abraham,  to  Izhak,  and  to  Jakob,  as  the  God  of 
Heaven;  but  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was 
not  known  to  them.]  And  I  confirmed  also  My  cove¬ 
nant  with  them,  to  give  them  the  land  of  Kenaan,  the 
land  of  their  sojourning  in  which  they  were  sojourners. 

3  Or,  “  in  the  face  of  My  Shekinah.” 

X 


458  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  now  cometh  before  Me  tbe  groaning  of  the  sons  of 
Israel,  because  the  Mizraee  do  enslave  them ;  and  I 
remember  My  covenant.  Therefore  say  to  the  sons  of 
Israel,  I  am  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  bring  you  forth  from 
the  oppressive  bondage  of  the  Mizraee,  and  will  deliver 
you  from  your  servitude,  and  save  you  with  an  uplifted 
arm,  and  by  great  judgments.  And  I  will  bring  you 
nigh  before  Me  to  be  a  people,  and  I  will  be  a  God 
unto  you,  and  you  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your 
God  who  hath  led  you  forth  from  the  hard  service  of 
the  Mizraee.  And  I  will  bring  you  into  the  land  which 
I  covenanted  by  My  Word  to  give  unto  Abraham,  to 
Izhak,  and  to  Jakob  ;  and  I  will  give  it  to  you  for  an 
inheritance.  I  Am  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  spake 
according  to  this  to  the  sons  of  Israel ;  but  they  received 
not  from  Mosheh,  through  anxiety  of  spirit,  and  from 
the  strange  and  hard  service  which  was  upon  their 
hands'!  [Jerusalem.  From  anxiety.] 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  Go  in, 
speak  with  Pharoh,  the  king  of  Mizraim,  that  he  release 
the  children  of  Israel  from  his  land.  And  Mosheh 
said  before  the  Lord,  Behold,  the  sons  of  Israel  do  not 
hearken  to  me ;  how  then  will  Pharoh  hearken  to  me, 
and  I  a  man  difficult  of  speech  ?  And  the  Lord  spake 
with  Mosheh  and  with  Aharon,  and  gave  them  admoni¬ 
tion  for  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  sent  them  to  Pharoh, 
king  of  Mizraim,  to  send  forth  the  children  of  Israel 
from  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

These  are  the  heads  of  the  house  of  their  fathers. 
The  sons  of  Reuben,  the  firstborn  of  Israel,  Hanok 
and  Phallu,  Hezron  and  Karmi ;  these  are  the  race  of 
ReubeD.  And  the  sons  of  Shimeon,  Jemuel,  and 
Jamin,  and  Ohad,  and  Jakin,  and  Sochar,  and  Sliaul 
(he  is  Zimri,  who  yielded  himself  unto  fornication,  as 
among  the  Kenaanaee) ;  tl^ese  are  the  race  of  Shimeon. 


ON  EXODUS. 


459 


VI.] 

And  these  are  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Levi,  according 
to  their  race :  Gershon,  and  Kehath,  and  Merari. 
And  the  years  of  the  life  of  Levi  a  hundred  and  thirty 
and  seven  years :  he  lived  to  see  Mosheli  and  Aharon 
the  deliverers  of  Israel.  And  the  sons  of  Gershon, 
Libni  and  Shemei,  according  to  their  generations.  And 
the  sons  of  Kehath,  Amram,  and  Jitshar,  and  Hebron, 
and  Uzziel.  And  the  years  of  the  life  of  Kehath  the 
saint,  a  hundred  and  thirty  and  three  years.  He  lived 
to  see  Phinehas,  who  is  Elijah,  the  Great  Priest,  who  is 
to  be  sent  to  the  captivity  of  Israel  at  the  end  of  the 
days.  And  the  sons  of  Merari,  Mahali  and  Mushi ; 
these  are  the  race  of  Levi,  according  to  the  generations. 
And  Amram  took  Jokeved  his  cousin  to  wife,  and  she 
bare  him  Aharon  and  Mosheli;  and  the  years  of 
Amram  the  saint  were  a  hundred  and  thirty  and  seven 
years.  He  lived  to  see  the  children  of  Eechabia  bar 
Gershom  bar  Mosheh.  And  the  sons  of  Jitshar 
(were)  Korah,  and  Nepheg,  and  Zichri.  And  the  sons 
of  Uzziel,  Mishael,  and  Elsaphan,  and  Sithri.  And 
Aharon  took  Elisheba,  daughter  of  Aminadab,  sister  of 
Nachshon,  unto  him  to  wife,  and  she  bare  him  Nadab 
and  Abihu,  Elasar  and  Ithamar.  And  the  sons  of 
Korah,  Assir,  and  Elkanah,  and  Abiasaph  :  these  are  the 
race  of  Korah.  And  Elasar  bar  Aharon  took  unto  him 
a  wife  from  the  daughters  of  Jethro  who  is  Putiel, 
and  she  bare  him  Phinehas.  These  are  the  heads  of  the 
fathers  of  the  Levites,  according  to  their  generations. 
These  are  Aharon  and  Mosheh,  to  whom  the  Lord 
said,  Bring  forth  the  sons  of  Israel  free  from  the  land 
of  Mizraim,  according  to  their  hosts; — these  are  they 
who  spake  with  Pharoh,  king  of  Mizraim,  that  he 
should  send  out  the  sons  of  Israel  from  Mizraim ; — it  is 
Mosheh  the  prophet,  and  Aharon  the  priest. 

4  Levitee. 
x  2 


460  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  it  was  in  the  day  when  the  Lord  spake  with 
Mosheh  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  that  Aharon  gave  a 
listening  ear,  and  heard  what  He  spake  with  him.  And 
the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  and  said  to  him,  I  am 
the  Lord.  Say  to  Pharoh,  king  of  Mizraim,  all  that  I 
tell  thee.  And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Behold, 
I  am  difficult  in  speaking;  how  then  will  Pharoh 
hearken  to  me  ? 

VII.  But  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Wherefore  art  thou 
fearful  ?  Behold,  I  have  set  thee  a  terror  to  Pharoh, 
as  if  thou  wast  his  God,  and  Aharon  thy  brother  shall 
be  thy  prophet.  Thou  shalt  speak  to  Aharon  that 
which  I  command  thee,  and  Aharon  thy  brother  shall 
speak  to  Pharoh,  that  he  release  the  sons  of  Israel  from 
his  land.  But  I  will  harden  the  disposition  of  Pharoh's 
heart,  to  multiply  My  signs  and  My  wonders  in  the  land 
of  Mizraim.  Nor  will  Pharoh  hearken  to  you.  But  I 
will  shoot  among  them  the  arrows  of  death,  and  inflict 
the  plagues  of  My  mighty  hand  upon  Mizraim,  and  will 
bring  out  the  sons  of  Israel  free  from  among  them.  And 
Mosheh  and  Aharon  did  as  the  Lord  commanded  them, 
even  so  did  they.  And  Mosheh  was  the  son  of  eighty 
years,  and  Aharon  the  son  of  eighty  and  three  years, 
at  their  speaking  with  Pharoh.  And  the  Lord  spake  to 
Mosheh  and  to  Aharon,  saying,  When  Pharoh  talkethwith 
you,  saying,  Give  us  a  miracle,  thou  shalt  say  to  Aharon, 
Take  thy  rod,  and  cast  it  down  before  Pharoh,  and  it 
shall  become  a  basilisk-serpent ; 5 — for  all  the  inhabiters 
of  the  earth  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  shriek  of  Mizraim 
when  I  shatter  them,  as  all  the  creatures  heard  the  shriek 
of  the  serpent  when  made  naked  at  the  beginning. 
[Jerusalem.  And  throw  down  before  Pharoh.] 

And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  in  unto  Pharoh,  and 
did  as  the  Lord  had  commanded.  And  Aharon  threw 


5  Chiv&chureman. 


ON  EXODUS. 


461 


VII.] 


down  the  rod  before  the  sight  of  Pharoh,  and  before 
the  sight  of  his  servants,  and  it  became  a  basilisk.6  But 
Pharoh  called  the  hacbems  and  magicians ;  and  they 
also,  Janis  and  Jamberes,  magicians  of  Mizraim,  did  the 
same  by  their  burnings  of  divination.  They  threw 
down  each  man  his  rod,  and  they  became  basilisks ; 
but  were  forthwith  changed  to  be  what  they  were  at 
first ;  and  the  rod  of  Aharon  swallowed  up  their  rods. 
And  the  disposition 7  of  Pharoh's  heart  was  hardened, 
and  he  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had 
said. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  The  disposition  of 
Pharoh' s  heart  is  obdurated  in  refusing  to  release  the 
people.  Go  unto  Pharoh  in  the  morning  :  behold,  he 
cometh  forth  to  observe  divinations  at  the  water  as  a 
magician ;  so  shalt  thou  prepare  thee  to  meet  him  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  and  Aharon's  rod  that  was 
changed  to  be  a  serpent  thou  shalt  take  in  thy  hand. 
[Jerusalem.  To  refresh  himself  at  the  river.]  And 
thou  shalt  say  to  him.  The  Lord  God  of  the  Jehudaee 
hath  sent  me  unto  thee,  saying,  Release  My  people,  that 
they  may  serve  Me  in  the  desert ;  and,  behold,  as 
yet  thou  hast  not  hearkened.  Thus  saith  the  Lord :  By 
this  sign  thou  shalt  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.  Behold, 
with  the  rod  that  is  in  my  hand,  I  will  smite  the  waters 
of  the  river,  and  they  shall  be  changed  into  blood.  And 
the  fish  that  are  in  the  river  shall  die,  and  the 
river  become  foul,  and  the  Mizraee  shall  desist  from 
drinking  water  from  the  river. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Tell  Aharon,  Take  thy 
rod  and  stretch  forth  thy  hand  over  the  waters  of  the 
Mizraee,  over  their  rivers,  over  their  trenches,  over  their 
canals,  and  over  every  place  for  collecting  their  waters, 
and  they  will  become  blood ;  and  there  shall  be  blood 

•  Churmana .  7  Yitsra,  “  disposition/’  or  “  design.” 


462  TARGI7M  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  in  vessels  of  wood  and 
in  vessels  of  stone.  [Jerusalem.  In  vases.]  And 
Mosheh  and  Aharon  did  so,  as  the  Lord  commanded; 
and  he  lifted  up  the  rod,  and  smote  the  waters  of  the 
river  in  the  sight  of  Pharoh,  and  in  the  sight  of  his 
servants ;  and  all  the  waters  of  the  river  were  turned 
into  blood ;  and  the  fish  that  were  in  the  river  died  ; 
and  the  river  became  foul,  and  the  Mizraee  could  not 
drink  of  the  waters  of  the  river,  and  the  plague  of 
blood  was  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim.  But  so  (also) 
did  the  astrologers  of  Mizraim  by  their  burnings,  and 
turned  the  waters  of  Goshen  into  blood.  And  the 
design  of  Pharolr’s  heart  was  strengthened,  and  he 
would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had  said.  And 
Pharoh  did  what  was  needful  to  him,  and  went  unto 
his  house,  nor  did  he  set  his  heart  upon  this  plague. 
And  tlie  Mizraee  digged  about  the  river  for  water  to 
drink,  but  could  not  find  them  pure ;  for  they  were  not 
able  to  drink  of  the  water  from  the  river. 

And  seven  days  were  completed  after  the  Lord  had 
smitten  the  river,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  had  after¬ 
ward  healed  the  river.  And  the  Lord  spoke  to  Mosheh, 
Go  in  unto  Pharoh  and  say  to  him.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Emancipate  My  people,  that  they  may  serve 
before  Me.  But  if  thou  refuse  to  set  them  free,  behold, 
I  will  plague  all  thy  borders  with  frogs.  And  the 
river  shall  multiply  frogs,  and  they  shall  ascend  and 
come  up  into  thy  house,  and  into  the  bedchamber  where 
thou  sleepest,  and  upon  thy  couch ;  atid  into  the  house 
of  thy  servants,  and  among  thy  people,  and  into  thy 
ovens,  and  into  thy  baking-troughs,  and  upon  thy  body, 
and  upon  the  bodies  of  thy  people,  and  upon  all  thy 
servants,  shall  the  frogs  have  power. , 

VIII.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Lift  up  thy  hand 
with  thy  rod  over  the  rivers,  over  the  trenches,  and  over 


ON  EXODUS. 


463 


VIII.] 


the  canals,  [Jerusalem.  Pools,]  and  I  will  bring  up 
the  frogs  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Aharon 
uplifted  his  hand  over  the  waters  of  Mizraim,  and  the 
plague  of  frogs  came  up  and  covered  the  land  of  Miz¬ 
raim.  But  Mosheli  (himself)  did  not  smite  the  waters, 
either  with  the  blood  or  with  the  frogs,  because  through 
them  (the  waters  of  the  Nile)  he  had  (found)  safety  at 
the  time  that  his  mother  laid  him  in  the  river.  And 
the  astrologers  did  likewise  by  their  burnings,  and 
brought  up  frogs  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
Pharoh  called  to  Mosheh  and  to  Aharon,  saying,  Pray 
before  the  Lord,  that  He  may  remove  the  frogs  from  me 
and  from  my  people ;  and  I  will  release  the  people  to 
offer  the  sacrifices  of  a  feast  before  the  Lord.  And 
Mosheh  said  to  Pharoh,  Glorify  thyself  on  account  of 
me.  At  what  time  dost  thou  request  that  I  should 
pray  for  thee,  and  for  thy  servants,  and'  for  thy  people, 
that  the  frogs  may  be  destroyed  from  thee  and  from 
thy  house,  and  be  left  only  in  the  river  ?  And  he  said, 
To-morrow.  And  he  said.  According  to  thy  word  : 
that  thou  mayest  know  that  there  is  none  like  the  Lord 
our  God.  [Jerusalem.  Give  a  sign,  and  keep  -at  a 
distance,  till  I  shall  have  prayed  for  thee.]  And  the 
frogs  shall  depart  from  thee,  and  from  thy  house,  and 
from  thy  servants,  and  from  thy  people ;  and  those  only 
that  are  in  the  river  shall  remain.  And  Mosheh  and 
Aharon  went  out  from  Pharoh,  and  Mosheh  prayed 
before  the  Lord  respecting  the  frogs,  as  he  had  proposed 
to  Pharoh.  And  the  Lord  did  according  to  the  word 
of  Mosheh ;  and  the  frogs  died  from  the  houses  and  from 
the  courts  and  from  the  field,  and  they  collected  them 
in  heaps  and  heaps,  [Jerusalem.  Heaps,  heaps,]  and 
the  land  was  corrupted.  And  Pharoh  saw  that  he  was 
refreshed  from  hi!  molestation,  but  hardened  his  heart, 
and  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had  said. 


464  TARGUH  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Speak  unto  Aharon, 
Lift  up  thy  rod  and  smite  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  it 
shall  become  venomous  insects  8  in  all  the  land  of  Miz- 
raim.  But  it  shall  not  be  by  thee  that  the  ground 
shall  be  smitten,  because  therein  for  thee  was  (the 
means  of)  safety  when  thou  hadst  slain  the  Mizraite  and 
it  received  him.  And  they  did  so,  and  Aharon  lifted 
up  his  hand  with  his  rod,  and  smote  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  and  it  became  a  plague  of  venomous  insects 
upon  the  flesh  of  men  and  of  cattle ;  all  the  dust  of  the 
earth  was  changed  to  become  insects,  in  all  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  the  astrologers  wrought  with  their 
burnings  to  bring  forth  the  insects,  but  were  not  able ; 
and  the  plague  of  insects  prevailed  upon  men  and 
upon  cattle.  And  the  astrologers  said  to  Pharoh, 
This  is  not  by  the  power  or  strength  of  Mosheh  and 
Aharon ;  but  this  is  a  plague  sent  from  before  the  Lord. 
Yet  the  design  of  Pharoh's  heart  was  strengthened,  and 
he  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had  said. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  Arise  in  the  morn¬ 
ing,  and  stand  before  Pharoh  :  behold,  he  goeth  forth  to 
observe  divinations  at  the  wrater,  as  a  magician ;  and 
thou  shalt  say  to  him.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Emancipate 
My  people,  that  they  may  worship  before  Me ;  but  if 
thou  wilt  not  set  My  people  free,  behold,  I  will  stir  up 
among  thee,  and  thy  servants,  and  thy  people,  and  thy 
house,  a  mixed  multitude  of  wild  beasts,  [Jerusalem. 
A  commixture,]  and  the  houses  of  the  Mizraee  shall  be 
filled  with  a  swarm  of  wild  beasts,  and  they  shall  be 
upon  the  land  also.  And  I  will  do  wonders  that  day 
in  the  land  of  Goshen  where  My  people  dwell,  that 
there  no  swarms  of  wild  beasts  shall  be ; — that  thou 
mavest  know  that  I  the  Lord  am  the  Ruler  in  the  midst 
of  the  land.  And  I  will  appoint  redemption  for  My 
8  Kalma ,  “ genus fornicce.” — Castel.  Heb.  text,  kinnim,  “  gnats.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


465 


IX.] 


people,  and  upon  thy  people  will  I  lay  the  plague  :  to¬ 
morrow  this  sign  shall  be.  And  the  Lord  did  so  ;  and 
sent  the  mixed  multitude  of  wild  beasts  in  strength  to 
the  house  of  Pharoh,  and  to  the  house  of  his  servants ; 
and  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land  were  devastated  from  the  swarm  of  wild  beasts. 
And  Pharoh  called  to  Mosheh  and  to  Aharon,  saying, 
Go,  worship  with  festival  sacrifices  before  the  Lord 
your  God  in  this  land.  But  Mosheh  said,  It  will  not 
be  right  to  do  so;  because  we  shall  take  sheep,  which 
are  the  abomination  of  the  Mizraee,  and  offer  them 
before  the  Lord  our  God.  Behold,  if  we  offer  the 
abomination  of  the  Mizraee  before  them,  they  would 
stone  us  with  stones  as  an  act  of  justice.  We  will  go 
three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness  to  offer  the 
festival  sacrifices  before  our  God,  as  He  hath  bidden  us. 
And  Pharoh  said,  I  will  release  you  to  sacrifice  before 
the  Lord  your  God  in  the  wilderness,  only  you  shall 
not  go  to  a  greater  distance.  Pray,  (too,)  for  me. 
And  Mosheh  said,  I  will  go  forth  from  thee,  and  pray 
before  the  Lord  to  remove  the  swarm  of  wild  beasts 
from  Pharoh,  and  from  his  servants,  and  from  his 
people,  to-morrow ;  only  let  not  Pharoh  add  to  deceive, 
in  not  releasing  the  people  to  offer  the  festal  sacrifices 
before  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  went  out  from  Pharoh, 
and  prayed  before  the  Lord  ;  and  the  Lord  did  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  word  of  the  prayer  of  Mosheh,  and  removed 
the  swarm  of  wild  beasts  from  Pharoh,  and  from  his 
servants,  and  from  his  people ;  not  one  was  left.  Yet 
did  Pharoh  strengthen  the  design  of  his  heart  this 
time  also,  and  released  not  the  people. 

IX.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  to  Pharoh, 
and  say  to  him,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
Jehudaee,  Emancipate  My  people,  that  they  may  worship 
before  Me.  But  if  thou  refuse  to  release,  and  hitherto 
x  5 


466  •  TAIiGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

thou  hast  constrained  them,  behold,  the  stroke  of  the 
Lord's  hand  shall  be  as  it  hath  not  been  yet,  upon  thy 
cattle  that  are  in  the  field,  upon  the  horses,  and  upon 
the  asses,  upon  the  camels,  oxen,  and  sheep,  with  a  very 
mighty  death.  [Jerusalem.  Great  conturbation.] 
And  the  Lord  will  work  wonders  between  the  flocks  of 
Israel  and  the  flocks  of  the  Mizraee,  that  not  any  of 
those  which  belong  to  the  sons  of  Israel  shall  die.  And 
the  Lord  set  a  time,  saying,  To-morrow  will  the  Lord 
do  this  thing  in  the  land.  f  And  the  Lord  did  that 
thing  the  day  after,  and  all  the  cattle  of  the  Mizraee 
died ;  but  of  the  cattle  of  the  sons  of  Israel  died  not 
one.  And  Pharoh  sent  certain  to  look ;  and,  behold, 
not  one  of  the  cattle  of  the  sons  of  Israel  had  died,  not 
even  one.  But  the  disposition  of  Pharoh's  heart  was 
aggravated,  and  he  would  not  release  the  people. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh  and  to  Aharon,  Take 
with  you  hands-full  of  fine  ashes  from  the  furnace,  and 
let  Mosheh  sprinkle  them  towards  the  height  of  the 
heavens  in  the  sight  of  Pharoh.  And  the  dust  shall  be 
upon  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  upon  man  and  upon  beast, 
for  a  boil,  producing  tumours  in  all  the  land  of  Miz¬ 
raim.  [Jerusalem.  Tumours.]  And  they  took  ashes 
of  the  furnace,  and  arose  to  meet  Pharoh  ;  and  Mosheh 
sprinkled  them  towards  the  height  of  the  heaveus ;  and 
there  came  a  boil  multiplying  tumours  upon  man  and 
beast.  And  the  astrologers  could  not  stand  before 
Mosheh,  on  account  of  the  boil ;  for  the  plague  of  the 
boil  was  upon  the  astrologers,  and  upon  all  the  Mizraee. 
And  the  Lord  hardened  the  design  of  Pharoh's  heart, 
and  he  would  not  hearken  to  them,  as  the  Lord  had 
said  to  Mosheh. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Arise  in  the  morning, 
and  place  thyself  before  Pharoh,  and  say  to  him,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the  Jehudaee,  Emancipate 


ON  EXODUS. 


467 


IX.] 


My  people,  that  they  may  worship  before  Me.  For  at 
this  time  I  will  send  upon  thee  a  plague  from  the 
heavens,  and  all  My  plagues  wherewith  I  have  plagued 
thee  thou  wilt  cause  to  return  upon  thy  heart,  and  upon 
thy  servants,  and  upon  thy  people,  (plagues)  which  have 
been  sent  from  before  Me,  and  not  from  the  magic  of 
the  sons  of  men,  that  thou  mayest  know  that  there  is 
none  like  Me  in  all  the  earth.  Now  could  I  send  the 
plague  of  My  strength  by  judgment  (or,  with  justice)  to 
strike  thee  and  thy  peopl.e  with  death,  and  destroy  thee 
from  the  earth ;  but  verily  I  have  spared  thee  alive,  not 
that  I  may  benefit  thee,  but  that  My  power  may  be 
made  manifest  to  thee,  and  that  My  Holy  Name  may  be 
made  known  in  all  the  earth.  Hitherto  hast  thou 
tyrannized  over  My  people,  instead  of  releasing  them. 
[Jerusalem.  BeLentlessly.]  Behold,  at  this  time  to¬ 
morrow  I  will  cause  to  come  down  from  the  treasures 
of  the  heavens  a  mighty  hail,  the  like  of  which  hath 
never  been  in  Mizraim  since  the  day  when  men  were 
settled  upon  it  until  now.  But  now  send,  gather 
together  thy  flocks,  and  all  that  thou  hast  in  the  field  : 
(for)  upon  all  men  and  cattle  that  are  found  in  the 
field,  and  not  gathered  together  within  the  house,  will 
the  hail  come  down,  and  they  will  die.  Hiob,  (Job,) 
who  reverenced  the  word  of  the  Lord,  among  the  ser¬ 
vants  of  Pharoh,  gathered  together  his  servants  and  his 
flocks  within  the  house.  But  Bileam,  who  did  not  set 
his  heart  upon  the  word  of  the  Lord,  left  his  servants 
and  his  flocks  in  the  field. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Uplift  thy  hand 
towards  the  height  of  the  heavens,  and  there  shall  be 
hail  on  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  upon  men,  and  upon 
beasts,  and  upon  every  herb  of  the  field  in  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  lifted  up  his  rod  toward  the 
height  of  the  heavens,  and  the  Lord  gave  forth  thunders 


468  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  hailstones  with  flaming  fire  upon  the  ground ;  the 
Lord  made  the  hail  descend  upon  the  land  of  Mizraim. 
And  there  was  hail,  and  fire  darting  among  the  hail 
with  exceeding  force :  unto  it  had  never  been  the  like 
in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim  ever  since  it  was  a  nation 
and  a  kingdom.  And  the  hail  smote  in  all  the  land  of 
Mizraim  whatsoever  was  in  the  field,  of  men  and  of 
cattle,  and  all  the  herbage  of  the  field  the  hail  smote, 
and  every  tree  of  the  field  it  shattered  and  uprooted. 
Only  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where  the  children  of 
Israel  were,  there  was  no  hail.  And  Pharoh  sent  certain 
to  call  Mosheh  and  Aharon;  and  he  said  to  them. 
This  time  I  have  sinned.  I  know  that  the  Lord  is  a 
righteous  God,  and  that  I  and  my  people  have  deserved 
every  one  of  these  plagues.  Intercede  before  the  Lord, 
that  with  Him  it  may  be  enough,  and  there  may  be  no 
more  maledictory  thunders  nor  hail  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  release  you,  and  no  longer 
hinder.  And  Mosheh  said  to  him,  When  I  have  gone 
out  from  thee  into  the  city,  I  will  outspread  my  hands 
in  prayer  before  the  Lord,  and  the  thunders  shall  cease, 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  hail ;  that  you  may  know 
that  the  earth  is  the  Lord's.  But  I  know  that  ere  thou 
and  thy  servants  release  the  people,  they  will  have  to  be 
afraid  before  the  Lord  God.  And  the  flax  and  the 
barley  were  beaten  down,  because  the  barley  was  in  the 
ear,  and  the  flax  was  making  pods.  [Jerusalem.  The 
flax  was  (making)  pods,  for  it  had  cast  its  flowers.]  But 
the  wheat  and  the  spelt  were  not  smitten,  because  they 
are  later.  And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  out  from 
Pharoh  to  the  suburb,  and  he  stretched  out  his  hands 
in  prayer  before  the  Lord,  and  the  thunders  of  the 
curse  were  withheld,  and  the  hail  and  rain  that  were 
descending  came  not  on  the  earth.  And  Pharoh  saw 
that  the  rain  and  hail  and  the  thunders  of  the  curse  had 


ON  EXODUS. 


469 


X.] 

ended,  and  he  added  to  sin,  and  made  strong  the  design 
of  his  heart,  both  he  and  his  servants.  And  Pharoh's 
heart  was  made  obstinate,  and  he  would  not  release  the 
children  of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  had  said  through  Mosheh. 


SECTION  XY. 

BO  EL  PHAROH. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  Go  in  unto  Pharoh ; 
for  I  have  made  strong  the  design  of  his  heart,  and  the 
design  of  the  heart  of  his  servants,  to  set  these  My 
signs  among  them  ;  and  that  in  the  hearing  of  thy  sons 
and  of  thy  children's  children  may  be  told  the  wonders 
I  have  done  in  Mizraim,  and  the  signs  that  I  set  among 
them,  that  ye  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.  And 
Mosheh  and  Aharon  went  in  unto  Pharoh,  and  said  to 
him.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  How  long 
wilt  thou  refuse  to  humble  thyself  before  Me  ?  Let 
My  people  go,  that  they  may  worship  before  Me.  But  if 
thou  refuse  to  let  My  people  go,  behold,  to-morrow  I  bring 
the  locust  upon  thy  borders,  and  they  shall  cover  the 
face  of  the  ground,  so  that  it  will  be  impossible  to  see 
the  ground,  and  shall  destroy  the  remainder  that  wras 
spared  to  you  from  the  hail,  and  destroy  every  tree 
which  groweth  for  you  out  of  the  field.  And  they  shall 
fill  thy  house,  and  the  houses  of  all  thy  servants,  and 
the  houses  of  the  Mizraee,  (the  like  of)  which  neither 
thy  fathers  nor  thy  forefathers  have  seen  since  the  day 
that  they  were  upon  the  earth  unto  this  day.  And  he 
turned  and  went  out  from  Pharoh. 

And  the  servants  of  Pharoh  said,  How  long  shall 


470  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

this  man  be  a  stumbling-block  to  us  ?  Let  the  men  be 
released,  that  they  may  worship  before  the  Lord  their 
God.  Art  thou  not  aware  that  by  His  hand  it  will  be 
that  the  land  of  Mizraim  shall  be  destroyed  ?  And  he 
commanded  to  bring  back  Mosheh  and  Aharon  to 
Pharoh,  and  said  to  them,  Go,  worship  before  the  Lord 
your  God :  but  who  are  they  that  are  to  go  ?  And 
Mosheh  said.  With  our  children  and  with  our  old  men 
will  we  go ;  with  our  sons  and  with  our  daughters  we 
will  go ;  with  our  sheep  and  with  our  oxen  we  will  go ; 
for  we  have  a  solemn  feast  before  the  Lord.  And  he 
said  to  them,  So  may  the  Word  of  the  Lord  be  a  help 
to  you :  (but)  how  can  I  release  (both)  you  and  your 
children  ?  The  evil  offence  is  in  the  look  of  your  faces  : 
(you  think  to  go  onward)  in  the  way  that  you  would 
walk,  till  the  time  that  you  shall  have  come  to  the  house 
of  the  place  of  your  habitation.  (It  shall  be)  not  so 
as  ye  devise ;  but  the  men  only  shall  go  and  worship 
before  the  Lord ;  for  that  it  was  which  ye  demanded. 
And  he  drave  them  out  from  before  the  face  of 
Pharoh. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  Lift  up  thy  hand 
over  the  land  of  Mizraim  for  the  locust,  that  he  may 
come  up  over  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  destroy  every 
herb  of  the  earth,  whatsoever  the  hail  hath  left.  And 
Mosheh  lifted  up  his  rod  over  the  land  of  Mizraim,  and 
the  Lord  brought  an  east  wind  upon  the  country  all 
that  day  and  all  the  night;  and  in  the  morning  the  east 
wind  bare  the  locust.  And  the  locust  came  up  over  all 
the  land  of  Mizraim,  and  settled  in  all  the  limits  of 
Mizraim  exceedingly  strong.  Before  him  there  had 
been  no  locust  so  hard,  nor  will  there  be  like  him.  And 
he  covered  the  face  of  all  the  land,  until  the  land  was 
darkened,  and  every  herb  of  the  ground  was  consumed, 
and  all  the  fruit  of  the  tree  that  the  hail  had  left ;  and 


X.]  ON  EXODUS.  471 

nothing  green  of  tree  or  herb  of  the  field  was  left  in 
all  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

And  Pharoh  made  haste,  and  sent  certain  to  call 
Mosheh  and  Aharon.  And  he  said,  I  have  sinned  before 
the  Lord  your  God  and  against  you.  But  now,  pardon 
my  sin  only  this  once,  and  pray  before  the  Lord,  that  He 
would  only  remove  from  me  this  death.  And  he  went 
out  from  Pharoh,  and  prayed  before  the  Lord.  And 
the  Lord  turned  a  wind  from  the  west  of  exceeding 
strength,  and  it  carried  away  the  locust,  and  bare  him 
to  the  sea  of  Suph  :  there  was  not  one  locust  left  in  all 
the  borders  of  Mizraim.  And  even  such  as  had  been 
salted  in  vessels  for  needed  food,  those,  too,  the  western 
wind  bare  away,  and  they  went.  But  the  Lord 
strengthened  the  design  of  PharolPs  heart,  and  he  would 
not  release  the  children  of  Israel. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Lift  up  thy  hand 
towards  the  height  of  the  heavens,  and  there  shall  be 
darkness  over  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  in  the  morning, 
at  the  passing  away  of  the  first  darkness  of  the  night. 
[Jerusalem.  And  they  shall  serve  in  darkness.]  And 
Mosheh  stretched  out  his  hand  towards  the  height  of 
the  heavens,  and  there  was  dark  darkness  in  all  the 
land  of  Mizraim  three  days.  No  man  saw  his  brother, 
and  none  arose  from  his  place  three  days.  But  among 
all  the  sons  of  Israel  there  was  light,  that  the  wicked 
among  them  who  died  might  be  buried,  and  that  the 
righteous  might  be  occupied  with  the  precepts  of  the 
law  in  their  dwellings.  And  at  the  end  of  three  days 
Pharoh  called  Mosheh,  and  said,  Go,  worship  before 
the  Lord ;  only  your  sheep  and  your  oxen  shall  abide 
with  me  :  your  children  also  may  go  with  you.  But 
Mosheh  said,  Thou  must  also  give  into  our  hands  holy 
oblations  and  burnt  offerings,  that  we  may  perform 
service  before  the  Lord  our  God.  Our  flocks,  more- 


472  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAi . 

over,  must  go  with  us ;  not  one  hoof  of  them  shall 
remain ;  for  from  them  we  are  to  take,  to  do  service 
before  the  Lord  our  God.  We  cannot  leave  them; 
for  we  know  not  (as  yet)  in  what  manner  we  are 
to  worship  before  the  Lord,  until  we  come  thither. 
But  the  Lord  made  strong  the  design  of  Pharoh's 
heart,  and  he  would  not  release  them.  And  Pharoh 
said  to  him,  Go  from  me.  Beware  that  thou  add 
not  to  see  my  face  to  speak  before  me  one  of  these 
words  that  are  so  hard  :  for  in  the  day  that  thou 
seest  my  face,  my  anger  will  grow  strong  against  thee, 
and  I  will  deliver  thee  into  the  hands  of  the  men  who 
seek  thy  life  to  take  it.  And  Mosheh  said,  Thou  hast 
spoken  fairly.  While  I  was  dwelling  in  Midian,  it  was 
told  me  in  a  word  from  before  the  Lord,  that  the  men 
who  had  sought  to  kill  me  had  fallen  from  their  means, 
and  were  reckoned  with  the  dead.  At  the  end  there 
will  be  no  mercy  upon  thee;  but  I  will  pray,  and  the 
plague  shall  be  restrained  from  thee.  And  now  I  will 
see  thy  face  no  more.  [Jerusalem.  And  Pharoh  said 
to  him,  Go  from  me.  Beware  that  thou  increase  not 
my  anger  against  thee  by  saying,  Are  not  these  hard 
words  that  thou  speakest  to  me  ?  Yerily  Pharoh 
would  rather  die  than  hear  thy  words.  Beware,  lest  my 
anger  grow  strong  against  thee,  and  I  deliver  thee  into 
the  hands  of  this  people,  who  require  thy  life  to  slay 
thee.  And  Mosheh  said,  Thou  hast  spoken  truly.  But 
it  was  certified  to  me  at  the  former  time  when  I  dwelt 
in  Midian,  that  all  the  men  were  dead  who  sought  to 
kill  my  life.  At  the  end  there  will  be  no  mercy  upon 
thee.  Yet  I  will  pray  for  thee,  and  this  plague  shall 
be  restrained.  But  a  tenth  plague  is  for  Pharoh,  of 
(which  the  victim  will  be)  thy  firstborn  sou.  And 
Mosheh  said  to  him.  Thou  hast  spoken  fairly  the  truth  : 
I  will  see  thy  face  no  more.] 


ON  EXODUS. 


473 


XI.] 

XI.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mosheh,  Yet  one 
stroke  will  I  bring  upon  Pharoh  and  upon  the  Mizraee, 
which  shall  be  greater  than  all,  and  afterward  will  he 
send  you  hence  :  when  he  releases,  there  shall  be  to  him¬ 
self  an  end  :  driving,  he  will  drive  you  forth  from  hence. 
Speak  now  in  the  hearing  of  the  people,  That  every  man 
shall  demand  from  his  Mizraite  friend,  and  every  woman 
of  her  Mizraite  friend,  vessels  of  silver  and  vessels  of 
gold.  And  the  Lord  gave  the  people  favour  before  the 
Mizraee ;  also  the  man  Mosheh  was  very  great  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim  before  the  servants  of  Pharoh  and 
before  his  people. 

And  Mosheh  spake  (or,  had  spoken)  to  Pharoh, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  At  this  hour  of  the  following  night 
will  I  be  revealed  in  the  midst  of  the  Mizraee,  and 
every  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Mizraim  shall  die :  from 
the  firstborn  of  Pharoh  who  should  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  kingdom,  unto  the  firstborn  son  of  the  humblest 
mother  in  Mizraim  who  grindeth  behind  the  mills,  and 
all  the  firstborn  of  cattle.  And  there  will  be  a  great 
cry  in  all  the  land  of  Mizraim,  because  like  the  plague 
of  this  night  there  hath  not  been,  and  like  the  plague 
of  this  night  there  never  will  be  one.  But  any  of  the 
children  of  Israel  a  dog  shall  not  harm  by  lifting  up  his 
tongue  against  either  man  or  beast;  that  they  may 
know  that  the  Lord  maketh  distinction  between  the 
Mizraites  and  the  sons  of  Israel.  And  thou  shalt  send 
down  all  thy  servants  to  me,  coming  and  beseeching  me, 
saying,  Go  forth,  thou  and  all  the  people  who  are  with 
thee ;  and  afterwards  I  will  go.  And  he  went  out  from 
Pharoh  in  great  anger.  But  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh, 
Pharoh  will  not  hearken  to  you ;  that  I  may  multiply 
My  wonders  in  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  and 
Aharon  did  all  these  wonders  before  Pharoh ;  and  the 
Lord  strengthened  the  design  of  PharolPs  heart. 


474  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  he  would  not  release  the  sons  of  Israel  from  his 
land. 

XII.  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh  and  to  Aharon 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  saying,  This  month  is  ordained 
to  be  to  you  the  beginning  of  the  months ;  and  from  it 
you  shall  begin  to  number  for  festivals,  and  times,  and 
cycles ;  it  shall  be  to  you  the  first  of  the  number  of  the 
months  of  the  year.  Speak  to  all  the  congregation  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  saying,  In  the  tenth  of  this  month, 
whose  time  is  appointed  for  this  time  (occasion),  and  not 
for  (coming)  generations,  they  shall  take  to  them  a 
lamb  for  the  house  of  a  family,  and,  if  many  in  number, 
they  shall  take  a  lamb  for  a  house :  but  if  the  men  of 
the  house  are  fewer  than  ten  in  number,  in  proportion 
to  a  sufficient  number  to  eat  the  lamb,  he  and  his 
neighbour  who  is  nearest  to  his  house  shall  take  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  number  of  souls :  each  man  according  to  the 
sufficiency  of  his  eating  shall  be  counted  for  the  lamb. 
The  lamb  shall  be  perfect,  a  male,  the  son  of  a  year  he 
shall  be  to  you ;  from  the  sheep  or  from  the  young  goats 
ye  may  take.  And  it  shall  be  bound  and  reserved  for 
you  until  the  fourteenth  day  of  this  month,  that  you 
may  not  know  the  fear  of  the  Mizraee  when  they  see  it ; 
and  ye  shall  kill  him  according  to  the  rite  of  all  the 
congregation  of  the  assembly  of  Israel,  between  the 
suns.1  And  you  shall  take  of  the  blood  and  set  it  upon 
the  two  posts  and  upon  the  upper  board  outside  of  the 
houses  in  which  you  eat  and  sleep.  And  you  shall  eat 
the  flesh  on  that  night,  the  fifteenth  of  Nisan,  until  the 
dividing  of  the  night  roasted  with  fire,  [Jerusalem. 

9  Hilketha,  “custom.” 

1  “  Between  the  suns,”  i.  e.,  the  time  between  sunset  and  starlight. 
“  We  have  two  evenings ;  the  first  the  setting  of  the  sun,  and  the  second 
the  ceasing  of  the  light  which  is  reflected  in  the  clouds ;  and  between  both 
lies  an  interval  of  about  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes.” — Eben  Ezra. 
It  is,  therefore,  the  time  which  we  call  “  twilight.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


475 


XII.] 

Boasted,]  without  leaven,  with  horehound  and  lettuce 
shall  you  eat  it.  Eat  not  of  it  while  living,  neither 
boiled  in  wine,  or  oil,  or  other  fluids,  neither  boiled  in 
water,  but  roasted  with  fire,  with  its  head,  and  its  feet, 
and  its  inwards.  Nor  shall  any  be  left  of  it  till  the 
morning ;  but  what  may  remain  of  it  in  the  morning 
you  shall  cover  over,  and  in  the  daylight  of  the  sixteenth 
day  burn  with  fire ;  for  y  ou  may  not  burn  the  residue 
of  a  holy  oblation  on  the  feast  day.  And  according 
to  this  manner  you  shall  eat  it,  this  time,  but  not 
in  (other)  generations :  your  loins  shall  be  girded, 
[Jerusalem.  Bound  by  the  precepts  of  the  law,]  your 
shoes  on  your  feet,  and  your  staves  in  your  hands ;  and 
you  shall  eat  in  the  fear  of  the  majesty  of  the  Lord  of 
the  world ;  because  mercy  hath  been  shown  to  you  from 
before  the  Lord.  And  I  will  be  revealed  in  the  land 
of  Mizraim  in  the  majesty  of  My  glory  this  night,  and 
with  Me  ninety  thousand  myriads  of  destroying  angels ; 
and  I  will  slay  all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
of  man  and  of  beast,  and  against  all  the  idols  of  the 
Mizraee  I  will  execute  four  judgments :  the  molten 
idols  shall  be  melted,  the  idols  of  stone  be  broken,  the 
idols  of  clay  shall  be  shattered,  and  the  idols  of  wood  be 
made  dust,  that  the  Mizraee  may  know  that  I  am  the 
J_jord.  And  the  blood  of  the  paschal  oblation,  (like) 
the  matter  of  circumcision,  shall  be  a  bail  for  you,  to 
become  a  sign  upon  the  houses  where  you  dwell ;  and  I 
will  look  upon  the  worth  of  the  blood,  and  will  spare 
you;  and  the  angel  of  death,  to  whom  is  given  the 
power  to  destroy,  shall  have  no  dominion  over  you  in 
the  slaughter  of  the  Mizraee.  And  this  day  shall  be  to 
you  for  a  memorial,  and  you  shall  celebrate  it  a  festival 
before  the  Lord  in  your  generations;  by  a  perpetual 
statute  shall  you  solemnize  it.  Seven  days  you  shall  eat 
unleavened  bread :  in  the  dividing  of  the  day  which 


476  TAPGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

precedes  the  feast  you  shall  put  away  leaven  from  your 
houses;  for  whosoever  eateth  what  is  leavened,  from 
the  first  day  of  the  feast  until  the  seventh  day,  that  man 
shall  be  destroyed  from  Israel.  And  on  the  first  day 
there  shall  be  a  holy  congregation,  and  on  the  seventh 
day  there  shall  be  to  you  a  holy  congregation.  No 
work  shall  be  done  among  you,  only  that  which  must  be 
done  for  every  one's  eating  may  be  done  by  you.  And 
you  shall  observe  the  feast  of  the  unleavened  bread, 
because  in  this  same  day  the  Lord  will  bring  out  your 
hosts  free  from  the  land  of  Mizraim ;  and  you  shall 
observe  this  day  in  your  generations,  a  statute  for  ever. 
In  Nisan,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month,  you  shall 
kill  the  passover,  and  at  evening  on  the  fifteenth  you 
shall  eat  unleavened  bread  until  the  twenty-first  of  the 
month.  On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-second  you  may 
eat  leavened  bread.  Por  seven  days  leaven  shall  not  be 
found  in  your  houses ;  for  whosoever  eateth  of  leaven, 
that  man  shall  perish  from  the  congregation  of  Israel, 
whether  he  be  a  stranger  or  home-bred  in  the  land. 
Any  mixture  of  leaven  you  shall  not  eat ;  in  every  place 
of  your  habitation  you  shall  eat  unleavened  bread. 

And  Mosheh  called  all  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  said  to 
them,  Withdraw  your  hands  from  the  idols  of  the 
Mizraee,  and  take  to  you  from  the  offspring  of  the  flock, 
according  to  your  houses,  and  kill  the  paschal  lamb. 
And  you  shall  take  a  bunch  of  hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  the 
blood  that  is  in  the  earthen  vessel,  and  upon  the  upper 
bar  without  and  upon  the  two  posts  you  shall  sprinkle 
of  the  blood  which  is  in  the  earthen  vessel,  and  not  a 
man  of  you  must  come  forth  from  the  door  of  his  house 
till  the  morning.  Por  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  will  be 
manifested  in  striking  the  Mizraee,  and  He  will  see  the 
blood  upon  the  lintel  and  upon  the  two  posts,  and  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  will  spread  His  protection  over  the 


XII.]  ON  EXODUS.  477 

door,  and  the  destroying  angel  will  not  be  permitted  to 
enter  your  houses  to  smite. 

And  you  shall  observe  this  thing  for  a  statute  to  thee 
and  to  thy  sons  for  a  memorial  for  ever.  And  it  shall 
be  when  you  are  come  into  the  land  that  the  Lord  will 
give  to  you,  as  He  hath  spoken,  that  from  the  time  of 
your  coming  you  shall  observe  this  service.  And  it 
shall  be  that  when  at  that  time  your  children  shall  say 
to  you,  What  is  this  your  service  ?  you  shall  say,  It  is 
the  sacrifice  of  mercy  before  the  Lord,  who  had  mercy 
in  His  Word  upon  the  houses  of  the  sons  of  Israel  in 
Mizraim,  when  He  destroyed  the  Mizraee,  and  spared  our 
houses.  And  when  the  house  of  Israel  heard  this  word 
from  the  mouth  of  Mosheh,  they  bowed  and  worshipped. 
And  the  sons  of  Israel  went  and  did  as  the  Lord  com¬ 
manded  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  so  did  they  hasten  and  do. 

And  it  was  in  the  dividing  of  the  night  of  the  fif¬ 
teenth,  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  slew  all  the  firstborn 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  from  the  firstborn  son  of  Pha- 
roh,  who  would  have  sat  upon  the  throne  of  his  king¬ 
dom,  unto  the  firstborn  sons  of  the  kings  who  were 
captives  in  the  dungeon  as  hostages  under  Pharoh’s 
hand  ;  and  who,  for  having  rejoiced  at  the  servitude  of 
Israel,  were  punished  as  (the  Mizraee)  :  and  all  the 
firstborn  of  the  cattle  that  did  the  work  of  the  Mizraee 
died  also. 

And  Pharoh  rose  up  in  that  night,  and  all  the  rest  of 
his  servants,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  Mizraee ;  and  there 
was  a  great  cry,  because  there  was  no  house  of  the 
Mizraee  where  the  firstborn  was  not  dead.  And  the 
border  of  the  land  of  Mizraim  extended  four  hundred 
pharsee ;  but  the  land  of  Goshen,  where  Mosheh  and 
the  sons  of  Israel  were,  was  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of 
Mizraim ;  and  the  royal  palace  of  Pharoh  was  at  the 
entrance  of  the  land  of  Mizraim.  But  when  he  cried  to 


478  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Mosheli  and  to  Aharon,  in  the  night  of  the  Pascha,  his 
voice  was  heard  unto  the  land  of  Goshen;  Pharoli 
crying  with  a  voice  of  woe,  and  saying  thus  :  Arise,  Go 
forth  from  among  my  people,  both  you  and  the  sons  of 
Israel ;  and  go,  worship  before  the  Lord,  as  you  have 
said ;  your  sheep  also  take,  and  whatever  of  mine  you 
have  spoken  about,  and  go ;  and  nothing  ask  I  of  you 
except  that  you  pray  for  me  that  I  may  not  die.  When 
Mosheli  and  Aharon,  and  the  sons  of  Israel,  heard  the 
voice  of  PharolPs  weeping,  they  were  not  mindful,  until 
he  came  himself,  and  all  his  servants,  and  all  the 
Mizraee,  and  urged  all  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel, 
that  they  might  hasten  to  send  them  forth  from  the  land ; 
Por,  said  they,  if  they  prolong  here  one  hour  more, 
behold,  we  are  all  dead.  [Jerusalem.  Por,  said  the 
Mizraee,  if  Israel  delay  one  hour  (longer),'  behold,  all 
Mizraim  dies.] 

And  the  people  carried  their  dough  upon  their  heads, 
being  unleavened,  and  what  remained  to  them  of  the 
paschal  cakes  and  bitter  things  they  carried,  bound  up 
with  their  raiment,  upon  their  shoulders.  And  the 
sons  of  Israel  did  according  to  the  word  of  Mosheh, 
and  asked  of  the  Mizraee  vessels  of  silver  and  vessels  of 
gold.  And  the  Lord  gave  the  people  favour  and  com¬ 
passion  before  the  Mizraee,  and  they  brought  forth  to 
them,  and  they  emptied  the  Mizraee  of  their  riches. 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  moved  forth  from  Pilusin 
towards  Succoth,  a  hundred  and  thirty  thousand,  pro¬ 
tected  there  by  seven  clouds  of  glory  on  their  f<^ur 
sides  :  one  above  them,  that  neither  hail  nor  tain  might 
fall  upon  them,  nor  that  they  should  be  burned  by  the 
heat  of  the  sun ;  one  beneath  them,  that  they  might 
not  be  hurt  by  thorns,  serpents,  or  scorpions ;  and  one 
went  before  them,  to  make  the  valleys  even,  and  the 
mountains  low,  and  to  prepare  them  a  place  of  habita- 


ON  EXODUS. 


479 


XII.] 

tion.  And  they  were  about  six  hundred  thousand  men, 
journeying  on  foot,  none  riding  on  horses  except  the 
children,  five  to  every  man;2  and  a  multitude  of 
strangers,  [Jerusalem.  A  mixed  multitude,]  two  hun¬ 
dred  and  forty  myriads,  went  up  with  them,  and  sheep, 
a,nd  oxen,  and  cattle,  very  many.  And  they  divided 
the  dough  which  they  brought  out  of  Mizraim,  which 
they  had  carried  on  their  heads,  and  it  was  baked  for 
them  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  (into)  unleavened  cakes, 
because  it  had  not  fermented ;  for  the  Mizraee  had 
thrust  them  out,  neither  could  they  delay;  and  it  was 
sufficient  for  them  to  eat  until  the  fifteenth  of  the  month 
Ijar ;  because  they  had  not  prepared  provision  for  the 
way. 

And  the  days  of  the  dwelling  of  the  sons  of  Israel  in 
Mizraim  were  thirty  weeks  of  years,  (thirty  times  seven 
years,)  which  is  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  ten  years. 
But  the  number  of  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  (had 
passed  away  since)  the  Lord  spake  to  Abraham,3  in  the 
hour  that  He  spake  with  him  on  the  fifteenth  of  Nisan, 
between  the  divided  parts,  until  the  day  that  they  went 
out  of  Mizraim.  And  it  was  at  the  end  of  thirty  years 
from  the  making  of  this  covenant,  that  Xzhak  was  born  ; 
and  thence  until  they  went  out  of  Mizraim  four  hun¬ 
dred  (years),  on  the  selfsame  day  it  was  that  all  the 
hosts  of  the  Lord  went  forth  made  free  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim. 

Lour  nights  are  there  written  in  the  Book  of  Memo¬ 
rials  before  the  Lord  of  the  world.  Night  the  first, _ 

when  He  was  revealed  in  creating  the  world;  the 
second, — when  He  was  revealed  to  Abraham;  the 
third,— when  He  was  revealed  in  Mizraim,  His  hand 
killing  all  the  firstborn  of  Mizraim,  and  His  right 
hand  saving  the  firstborn  of  Israel ;  the  fourth,— when 

2  “  Five  and  five.”  3  Qen>  xy 


480  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

He  will  yet  be  revealed  to  liberate  the  people  of  the 
house  of  Israel  from  among  the  nations.  And  all  these 
are  called  Nights  to  be  observed ;  for  so  explained 
Mosheh,  and  said  thereof,  It  is  to  be  observed  on 
account  of  the  liberation  which  is  from  the  Lord,  to 
lead  forth  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel  from  the  land 
of  Mizraim.  This  is  that  Night  of  preservation  from 
the  destroying  angel  for  all  the  sons  of  Israel  who  were 
in  Mizraim,  and  of  redemption  of  their  generations  from 
their  captivity. 

[Jerusalem  Targum.  It  is  a  night  to  be  observed 
and  celebrated  for  the  liberation  from  before  the  Lord 
in  bringing  forth  the  sons  of  Israel,  made  free  from  the 
land  of  Mizraim.  Lour  nights  are  there  written  in  the 
Book  of  Memorial.  Night  first;  when  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  was  revealed  upon  the  world  as  it  was  created ; 
when  the  world  was  without  form  and  void,  and  darkness 
was  spread  upon  the  face  of  the  deep,  and  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  illuminated  and  made  it  light ;  and  he  called  it 
the  first  night.  Night  second ;  when  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  was  revealed  unto  Abraham  between  the  divided 
parts ;  when  Abraham  was  a  son  of  a  hundred  years, 
and  Sarah  was  a  daughter  of  ninety  years,  and  that 
which  the  Scripture  saith  was  confirmed, — Abraham  a 
hundred  years,  can  he  beget  ?  and  Sarah,  ninety  years  old, 
can  she  bear?  Was  not  our  father  Izhak  a  son  of 
thirty  and  seven  years,  at  the  time  he  was  offered  upon 
the  altar?  The  heavens  were  (then)  bowed  down  and 
brought  low,  and  Izhak  saw  their  realities,4  and  his  eyes 
were  blinded  at  the  sight,  and  he  called  it  the  second 
night.  The  third  night ;  when  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was 
revealed  upon  theMizraee,  at  the  dividing  of  the  night ; 
His  right  hand  slew  the  firstborn  of  the  Mizraee,  and 
His  right  hand  spared  the  firstborn  of  Israel ;  to  fulfil 
4  Or,  “  perfections.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


481 


XIII.] 

what  the  Scripture  hath  said,  Israel  is  My  firstborn 
son.  And  he  called  it  the  third  night.  Night  the 
fourth ;  when  the  end  of  the  age  will  be  accomplished, 
that  it  might  be  dissolved,  the  bands  of  wickedness 
destroyed,  and  the  iron  yoke  broken.  Mosheh  came 
forth  from  the  midst  of  the  desert;  but  the  King 
Meshiha  (comes)  from  the  midst  of  Koma.  The  Cloud 
preceded  that,  and  the  Cloud  will  go  before  this  one ;  and 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  will  lead  between  both,  and  they 
shall  proceed  together.  This  is  the  night  of  the  Pascha 
before  the  Lord,  to  be  observed  and  celebrated  by  the 
sons  of  Israel  in  all  their  generations.] 

A  sojourner  or  a  hired  stranger  shall  not  eat  thereof. 
In  his  own  company  he  shall  eat.  Thou  shalt  not 
carry  any  of  the  flesh  out  of  the  house  from  (thy)  com¬ 
pany,  nor  send  a  gift  one  man  to  his  neighbour ;  and  a 
bone  of  him  shall  not  be  broken  for  the  sake  of  eating 
that  which  is  within  it.  [Jerusalem.  A  sojourning 
man  and  a  hireling  born  of  the  Gentiles  shall  not  eat  of 
it.]  All  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  mix  together, 
this  one  with  that,  one  family  with  another,  that  they 
may  perform  it.  And  if  a  proselyte  sojourn  with  you, 
and  would  perform  the  pascha  before  the  Lord,  let 
every  male  belonging  to  him  be  circumcised,  and  so  be 
made  fit  to  perform  it ;  and  he  shall  be  as  the  native  of 
the  land :  but  no  uncircumcised  one  of  the  sons  of 
Israel  shall  eat  thereof.  One  law  shall  there  be  as  to 
all  appointments  for  the  native  and  for  the  proselyte 
who  sojourneth  among  you.  And  all  the  sons  of 
Israel  did,  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  Mosheh  and 
Aharon,  so  did  they.  And  it  was  on  that  same  day 
that  the  Lord  brought  forth  the  sons  of  Israel  from  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  with  their  hosts. 

XIII.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mosheh,  saying, 
Sanctify  before  Me  every  firstborn  male.  Whatsoever 

Y 


482  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

openetli  the  womb  of  all  the  sons  of  Israel  among  men, 
and  (also)  among  beasts,  is  Mine.  AndMosheh  said  to 
the  people,  Remember  this  the  day  in  which  you  went  out 
free  from  Mizraim,  from  the  house  of  the  bondage  of 
slaves ;  for  by  great  strength  of  hand  did  the  Lord  bring 
you  forth  from  thence ;  and  you  shall  not  eat  leaven.  This 
day  you  are  come  out  free ;  on  the  fifteenth  of  Nisan, 
which  is  the  month  of  Abiba.  And  it  shall  be,  when  the 
Lord  your  God  shall  have  brought  you  into  the  land  of 
the  Kenaanaee,  and  Hittaee,  and  Amoraee,  and  Hivaee, 
and  Jebusaee,  which  He  sware  by  His  Word  unto  Abra¬ 
ham  to  give  thee,  a  land  producing  milk  and  honey,  that 
thou  shalt  keep  this  service  in  this  month.  Seven  days 
shalt  thou  eat  unleavened  cakes,  and  on  the  seventh  day 
shall  be  a  feast  before  the  Lord.  Unleavened  cakes 
shall  be  eaten  seven  days,  and  nothing  leavened  shall  be 
seen  with  thee,  nor  leaven  itself  be  seen  with  thee  in  all 
thy  borders.  And  thou  shalt  instruct  thy  son  on  that 
day,  saying,  This  precept  is  on  account  of  what  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  did  for  me  in  miracles  and  wonders, 
in  bringing  me  forth  from  Mizraim.  And  this  miracle 
shall  be  inscribed  and  set  forth  upon  the  tephilla  of  the 
hand,  on  the  top  of  thy  left  (arm,)  and  for  a  memorial 
inscribed  and  set  forth  upon  the  tephilla  of  thy  head, 
set  between  thine  eyes  on  thy  forehead ; 6  that  the  law 
of  the  Lord  may  be  in  thy  mouth,  because  in  strength, 
with  a  mighty  hand,  the  Lord  brought  thee  forth  from 
Mizraim.  Thou  shalt  therefore  keep  this  statute  of 
the  Tephillin  in  the  season  to  which  it  belongs,  on 

5  “The  Israelite  unites  his  thoughts  with  God  by  certain  observance* 
which  Holy  Writ  ha9  taught  him.  He  wears  Tephillin  at  the  head, 
the  organ  of  reflection  and  memory ;  and  lets  from  thence  hang  down 
thongs  which  reach  to  the  hand,  and  which  he  shall  see  at  all  time. 
He  wears  the  Tephillin  of  the  hand,  issuing  from  the  heart,  the  source 
of  our  powers.  The  Tephillin  4ell  of  the  Unity  of  God,  and  of  the  Pro¬ 
vidence  by  which  He  is  connected  with  His  creatures.” — Sejpher  Kusari. 


ON  EXODUS. 


488 


XIII.] 

work  days,  not  on  sabbaths  ^  or  solemnities;  and  by 
day,  not  by  night.  [Jerusalem.  From  these  days  to 
those  months.]  And  when  I  the  Lord  have  brought  thee 
into  the  land  of  the  Kenaanaee,  which  I  have  sworn  to 
thee  and  to  thy  fathers  to  give  thee,  thou  shalt  set 
apart  before  the  Lord  every  one  that  openeth  the  womb  ; 
and  every  animal  that  its  dam  beareth  and  that  openeth 
the  wromb,  if  it  be  to  thee  a  male,  thou  shalt  sanctify 
before  the  Lord.  And  every  ass  that  openeth  the 
womb  thou  shalt  redeem  with  a  lamb ;  and  if  thou 
redeem  him  not,  thou  shalt  cut  him  off;  [Jerusalem. 
Thou  shalt  kill  him ;]  and  every  firstborn  man  (child) 
among  thy  sons  thou  shalt  redeem ;  but  thy  servant 
thou  mayest  not  redeem  with  money. 

And  when  in  future  thy  son  shall  ask  thee,  saying, 
What  is  this  ordinance  of  the  firstborn  ?  thou  shalt  tell 
him :  By  the  power  of  a  mighty  hand  the  Lord 
delivered  us  from  Mizraim,  redeeming  us  from  the 
house  of  the  servitude  of  slaves.  And  when  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  had  hardened  the  heart  of  Pharoh  (that  he 
would)  not  deliver  us,  he  killed  all  the  firstborn  in  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  from  the  firstborn  of  man  to  the  first¬ 
born  of  cattle ;  therefore  do  I  sacrifice  before  the  Lord 
every  male  that  openeth  the  womb,  and  every  firstborn 
of  my  sons  I  redeem  with  silver.  And  it  shall  be 
inscribed  and  set  forth  upon  thy  left  hand,  and  on  the 
tephilla  between  thine  eyebrows;  because  by  mighty 
strength  of  hand  the  Lord  brought  us  out  of  Mizraim. 


SECTION  XVI. 

BESHALACH. 

And  it  was  when  Pharoh  had  released  the  people, 
that  the  Lord  did  not  conduct  them  by  the  way  of  the 


484  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

land  of  the  Phelishtaee,  though  that  was  the  near  one ; 
for  the  Lord  said,  Lest  the  people  be  affrighted  in  seeing 
their  brethren  who  were  killed  in  war,  two  hundred 
thousand  men  of  strength  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  who 
took  shields,  and  lances,  and  weapons  of  war,  and  went 
down  to  Gath  to  carry  off  the  flocks  of  the  Phelishtaee  ;  and 
because  they  transgressed  against  the  statute  of  the  Word 
of  the  Lord,  and  went  forth  from  Mizraim  three  years 
before  the  (appointed)  end  of  their  servitude,  they  were 
delivered  into  the  hand  of  the  Phelishtaee,  who  slew 
them.  These  are  the  dry  bones  which  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  restored  to  life  by  the  ministry  (hand)  of  Yeche- 
zekel  the  prophet,  in  the  vale  of  Dura ;  but  which,  if 
they  (now)  saw  them,  they  would  be  afraid,  and  return 
into  Mizraim.  But  the  Lord  led  the  people  round  by 
the  way  of  the  desert  of  the  sea  of  Supli ;  and  every  one 
of  the  sons  of  Israel,  with  five  children,  went  up  from 
the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  carried  up  the  ark 
in  which  were  the  bones  of  Joseph,  from  out  of  the  Nilos, 
and  took  them  with  him;  because,  adjuring,  he  adjured 
the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  The  Lord  will  surely  remem¬ 
ber  you,  and  you  shall  carry  up  my  bones  with  you. 

And  they  journeyed  from  Succoth,  the  place  where 
they  had  been  covered  with  the  clouds  of  glory,  and 
sojourned  in  Ethan,  which  is  on  the  side  of  the  desert. 
[Jerusalem.  18.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  con¬ 
ducted  the  people  by  the  way  of  the  desert  of  the  sea  of 
Suph ;  armed  in  good  works  went  up  the  sons  of  Israel, 
free  from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  19.  Por,  adjuring,  he 
adjured  the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  The  Lord  remember¬ 
ing,  will  remember  you  in  His  Word,  and  in  His  good 
mercies.  20.  Which  cometh  upon  the  end  of  the 
desert.]  And  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord 
went  before  them  by  day  in  the  column  of  the  Cloud  to 
lead  them  in  the  way,  and  at  night  the  column  of  the 
Cloud  removed  behind  them  to  darken  on  their  pur- 


ON  EXODUS. 


485 


xiv.] 

suers  behind  them ;  but  to  be  a  column  of  fire  to 
enlighten  them  before,  that  they  might  go  forward  by 
day  and  by  night.  The  column  of  the  Cloud  departed 
not  by  day,  nor  the  column  of  fire  by  night,  in  leading 
on  before  the  people.  [Jerusalem.  It  ceased  not.] 

XIY.  And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  Speak 
to  the  sons  of  Israel,  that  they  return  back,  and  encamp 
before  the  Mouths  of  Hiratha,8  as  they  lie,  created  after 
the  manner  (likeness)  of  the  children  of  men,  male  and 
female,  and  their  eyes  open  to  them  :  it  is  the  place  of 
Tanes,  which  is  between  Migdol  and  the  sea,  before  the 
idol  Zephon  (Typhon),  that  is  left  of  all  the  idols  of 
Mizraim.  Lor  the  Mizraee  will  say,  More  excellent  is 
Baal  Zephon  than  all  idols,  because  it  is  left,  and  not 
smitten ;  and  therefore  will  they  come  to  worship  it, 
and  will  find  that  you  are  encamped  nigh  unto  it,  on 
the  border  of  the  sea. 

And  Pharoh  said  to  Dathan  and  Abiram,  sons  of 
Israel,  who  had  remained  in  Mizraim,  The  people  of  the 
house  of  Israel  are  bewildered  in  the  land :  the  idol 
Zephon  hath  shut  them  in  close  upon  the  desert. 
[Jerusalem.  2.  And  they  shall  return  and  encamp 
before  the  caravansaries  of  Hiratha,  between  Migdol 
and  the  sea,  before  the  idol  of  Zephon,  ye  shall  encamp 
over  against  it.  And  Pharoh  will  say  concerning  the 
people  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  They  are  losing  themselves 
in  the  wilderness  :  the  idol  of  Peor  hath  shut  them  in 
before  the  desert.]  And  I  will  strengthen  the  design 
of  Pharoh's  heart  to  pursue  after  them,  and  I  will  be  glo¬ 
rified  upon  Pharoh  and  upon  his  hosts,  and  the  Mizraee 
shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.  And  they  did  so.  • 

And  the  officers 7  who  went  with  Israel  announced 

*  They  were  two  lofty  rocks,  with  a  defile  between  them,,  called  the 
(pi)  mouth  of  the  rocks. — R.  S.  Izhaki,  in  loco. 

7  Oktaraia :  “  Octariones ,  prcefccti  militares .” 


486  TAltGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

that  the  people  had  fled.  [Jerusalem.  And  it  was 
declared  to  the  king.]  And  the  heart  of  Pliaroh  and 
his  servants  was  turned  unto  evil  against  the  people ;  and 
they  said,  What  is  this  that  we  have  done  ?  for  we  have 
released  Israel  from  serving  us.  And  he  himself  pre¬ 
pared  his  chariot,  and  his  people  led  he  with  him  by  soft 
words.  And  he  took  six  hundred  choice  chariots,  and  all 
the  chariots  of  the  Mizraee  his  servants,  who  were 
afraid  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  lest  they  should  be 
killed  with  pestilence,  if  not  writh  hail :  and  a  third 
mule,  for  drawing  and  following  swiftly,  he  added  to 
each  chariot.  And  the  Lord  hardened  the  design  of 
the  heart  of  Pharoh,  king  of  Mizraim,  and  he  pursued 
after  the  sons  of  Israel.  But  the  sons  of  Israel,  going 
out  with  a  high  hand,  were  stronger  than  the  Mizraee. 
And  the  Mizraee  followed  after  them,  and  came  upon 
them  as  they  were  encamped  by  the  sea,  gathering  of 
pearls  and  goodly  stones,  which  the  river  Pishon  had 
carried  from  the  garden  of  Eden  into  the  Gihon,  and 
the  Gihon  had  carried  into  the  sea  of  Suph,  and  the  sea 
of  Suph  had  cast  upon  its  bank.  But  all  the  chariot- 
horses  of  Pharoh,  and  his  horsemen,  and  his  hosts  (were 
coming)  towards  the  Mouths  of  Hiratha,  which  are 
before  the  idol  Zephon.  And  Pharoh  saw  the  idol 
Zephon  (still)  preserved,  and  offered  oblations  before  it. 
And  the  children  of  Israel  lifted  up  their  eyes,  and, 
behold,  the  Mizraee  were  pursuing  them ;  and  they  were 
sorely  afraid,  and  the  children  of  Israel  prayed  before 
the  Lord.  But  the  wicked  generation  said  to  Mosheh, 
Because  there  were  no  places  of  burial  for  us  in  Mizraim, 
hast  thou  led  us  forth  to  die  in  the  wilderness  ?  What 
hast  thou  done  to  us,  in  bringing  us  out  of  Mizraim  ? 
Was  not  this  the  word  that  we  spake  to  thee  in  Miz¬ 
raim,  Let  the  Lord  manifest  Himself  over  us  and  judge, 
saying.  Desist  from  us,  and  we  will  serve  the  Mizraee  ? 


ON  EXODUS. 


487 


XIV.] 

for  it  is  better  for  us  to  serve  the  Mizraee  than  to  perish 
in  the  desert.  [Jerusalem.  9.  But  the  sons  of  Israel 

had  gone  out  free . Before  the  caravansaries  of 

Hiratha, — before  the  idol  Zephon.] 

Pour  parties  were  made  (among)  the  sons  of  Israel  on 
the  shore  of  the  Weedy  Sea :  one  said.  Let  us  go  down 
into  the  sea ;  another  said.  Let  us  return  into  Mizraim ; 
another  said,  Let  us  set  against  them  the  line  of  battle ; 
and  another  said.  Let  us  raise  a  cry  against  them,  and 
confound  them.  Unto  the  company  which  said.  Let  us 
go  down  to  the  sea,  spake  Mosheh,  Pear  not,  stand  still, 
and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord,  which  will  be  wrought 
for  you  to-day.  To  the  company  which  said,  Let  us 
return  into  Mizraim,  Mosheh  said.  You  shall  not 
return ;  for,  though  you  see  the  Mizraee  to-day,  you 
will  see  them  no  more  for  ever.  To  the  company  who 
said.  Let  us  set  against  them  the  line  of  battle,  said 
Mosheh,  Contend  not ;  for  the  victory  shall  be  wrought 
among  you  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  And  to 
the  company  who  said,  Let  us  raise  a  cry  against 
them,  Mosheh  said,  Be  silent ;  and  give  the  glory,  and 
praise,  and  exaltation  to  your  God. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Why  standest  thou 
praying  before  Me  ?  Behold,  the  prayers  of  My  people 
have  come  before  thy  own :  speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
that  they  go  forward ;  and  thou,  lift  up  thy  rod,  and 
stretch  forth  thy  hand  with  it  over  the  sea,  and  divide 
it :  and  the  sons  of  Israel  shall  go  through  the  midst  of 
the  sea  upon  the  ground.  Por,  behold,  I  will  harden 
the  design  of  the  heart  of  the  Mizraee,  and  they  will  go 
in  after  them ;  and  I  will  be  glorified  upon  Pharoh  and 
upon  all  his  hosts,  upon  his  chariots  and  his  horsemen ; 
that  the  Mizraee  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when 
I  am  glorified  upon  Pharoh,  upon  his  chariots  and 
horsemen. 


488  TAItGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP, 

[Jerusalem.  13.  Tour  companies  made  the  sons  of 
Israel,  standing  by  the  Weedy  Sea.  One  said,  Let  us 
fall  upon  the  sea;  another  said,  Let  us  return  to 
Mizraim;  another  said,  Let  us  array  battle  against 
them  ;  and  another  said,  Let  us  shout  against  them  to 
confuse  them.  To  that  company  who  said.  Let  us  fall 
upon  the  sea,  Mosheh  said,  Pear  not ;  stand  still,  and  see 
the  salvation  of  the  Lord  which  shall  be  wrought  for 
you  this  day.  To  the  company  who  said,  We  will 
return  unto  Mizraim,  Mosheh  said,  Fear  not;  for  as 
you  have  seen  the  Mizraee  to-day,  you  will  see  them  no 
more  in  bondage  for  ever.  To  the  company  who  said. 
We  will  array  battle  against  them,  Mosheh  said,  Fear 
not ;  the  Lord,  in  the  glory  of  His  Shekinah,  will  work 
the  victory  for  your  hosts.  To  the  company  who  had 
said,  Let  us  shout  against  them  to  confound  them, 
Mosheh  said,  Fear  not ;  stand  and  be  silent ;  and  give 
the  glory,  and  praise,  and  exaltation  unto  Eloha.  15. 
And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  How  long 
standest  thou  praying  before  Me?  Heard  before  Me 
are  thy  prayers;  but  the  prayers  of  My  people  have 
preceded  thine.  Speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel  that  they 
go  forward ;  and  thou,  lift  up  thy  rod  and  stretch  forth 
thy  hand.] 

And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  who  led  the  way  before 
the  hosts  <pf  Israel  went  and  came  behind  them ;  and 
the  column  of  the  Cloud  went  from  before  and  stood 
behind  them :  because  the  Mizraee  threw  darts  and 
stones  at  the  Israelites,  but  the  Cloud  intercepted  them ; 
and  it  came  between  the  host  of  Israel  and  the  host  of 
the  Mizraee ;  a  cloud,  one  half  of  which  was  light  and 
one  half  darkness.  On  the  one  side  it  darkened  upon 
the  Mizraee,  and  on  the  other  side  it  shined  upon  Israel 
all  night ;  and  one  host  did  not  attack  the  other  all  the 
night. 


ON  EXODUS. 


489 


XIV.] 

And  Mosheh  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  sea, 
with  the  great  and  glorious  rod  which  was  created  at  the 
beginning,  and  on  which  were  engraven  and  set  forth 
the  Great  and  Glorious  Name,  and  the  ten  signs  which 
had  smitten  the  Mizraee,  and  the  three  fathers  of  the 
world,  and  the  six  mothers,  and  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Jakob :  and  straightway  the  Lord  brought  a  vehement 
east  wind  upon  the  sea  all  night,  and  made  the  sea  dry  j 
and  divided  the  waters  into  twelve  divisions,  according 
to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Jacob.  [Jerusalem.  20.  And 
the  cloud  was  half  light  and  half  darkness :  light,  it 
enlightened  upon  Israel ;  and  darkness,  it  darkened 
upon  Mizraim.  And  those  came  not  against  these,  to 
set  battle  in  order,  all  the  night.  21.  And  he  stretched 
forth.]  And  the  children  of  Israel  went  through  the  midst 
of  the  sea  upon  the  ground,  and  the  waters  were  con¬ 
gealed  like  a  wall,  three  hundred  miles  on  their  right 
hand  and  on  their  left. 

And  the  Mizraee  followed  and  went  in  after  them,  all 
the  horses  of  Pharoh,  and  his  chariots  and  horsemen, 
into  the  midst  of  the  sea.  And  it  was  that  in  the 
morning  watch,  at  the  time  that  the  powers  on  high 
come  to  offer  praise,  the  Lord  looked  forth  with  anger 
upon  the  hosts  of  the  Mizraee  from  the  column  of  fire,, 
to  hurl  upon  them  flakes  of  fire  and  hail,  and  from  the 
column  of  cloud,  and  confounded  the  host  of  the 
Mizraee ;  and  He  brake  (or,  made  rough)  the  wheels  of 
Pharolfis  carriages,  so  that  they  drave  them  with  hard¬ 
ship,  and  that  they  went  on  and  left  them  behind.  And 
the  Mizraee  said  one  to  another,  Let  us  flee  from  the 
people  of  the  house  of  Israel;  for  this  is  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  who  fought  for  them  in  Mizraim. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand 
over  the  sea,  that  the  waters  may  return  upon  the 
Mizraee,  upon  their  chariots  and  upon  their  horsemen., 
y  5 


490  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  Moslieh  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  sea,  and 
the  sea  returned  at  the  time  of  the  morning  unto  its 
strength ;  and  the  Mizraee  fled  from  before  its  waves. 
And  the  Lord  strengthened  the  Mizraee  in  the  midst  of 
the  sea,  that  they  should  not  (soon)  die  in  the  midst  of 
it,  that  they  might  receive  the  punishment  which  had 
been  sent  to  them.  [Jerusalem.  24.  And  it  was  in 
the  time  of  the  morning  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
looked  upon  the  host  of  the  Mizraee,  and  hurled  upon 
them  bitumen  (naphtha),  and  fire,  and  stones  of  hail,  and 
conturbed  the  host  of  the  Mizraee.  And  he  unloosed 
the  wheels  of  their  carriages,  so  that  they  went,  dragging 
them  after  them  :  the  mules,  going,  after  their  way,  before 
the  wheels,  were  turned,  so  as  that  the  wheels  went  before 
the  mules,  and  they  were  cast  into  the  sea.  The 
Mizraee  answered  and  said  one  to  another,  Let  us  flee 
from  before  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel ;  for  this  is 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  who  worketh  victory  for  them  in 
their  battles ;  so  that  they  set  the  back  against  Mizraim. 
26.  Stretch  forth.  27.  And  Mosheh  stretched  forth 
his  hand  over  the  sea,  and  the  sea  returned  at  the  time 
of  the  morning  to  its  place.]  And  the  waves  of  the 
sea  returned,  and  covered  the  chariots,  and  the  horsemen, 
and  all  the  host  of  Pharoh  who  had  gone  in  after  them, 
into  the  sea,  not  one  among  them  was  left.  But  the 
sons  of  Israel  walked  on  the  ground  in  the  midst  of  the 
sea,  and  the  waters  to  them  were  as  walls  on  their 
right  hand  and  on  their  left.  That  day  the  Lord 
redeemed  and  saved  Israel  from  the  hand  of  the  Mizraee; 
and  Israel  saw  the  Mizraee,  dead  and  not  dead,  cast  upon 
the  shore  of  the  sea.  And  Israel  saw  the  power  of  the 
mighty  hand  by  which  the  Lord  had  wrought  the 
miracles  in  Mizraim ;  and  the  people  feared  before  the 
Lord,  and  believed  in  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  prophecies  of  Mosheh  His  servant. 


ON  EXODUS. 


491 


XV.] 


XV.  Beliold:  then  sang  Mosheh  and  the  sons  of 
Israel  this  song  of  praise  before  the  Lord,  and  saying 
they  said  : 

Thanksgiving  and  praise  we  bring  before  the  Lord 
Most  High,  who  is  glorified  above  the  glorious,  and 
exalted  above  the  exalted ;  who  punisheth  by  His  Word 
whomsoever  glorifieth  himself  before  Him. 

Therefore  when  Pharoh  the  wicked  bare  himself 
proudly  before  the  Lord,  and,  being  uplifted  in  his 
heart,  followed  after  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel, 
their  horses  and  their  chariots  He  threw  and  buried  in 
the  sea  of  Suph. 

[Jerusalem.  Then  sang  Mosheh  and  the  sons  of 
Israel  the  praise  of  this  song  before  the  Lord,  saying, 
to  say :  Thanksgiving  and  praise  bring  we  before  the 
Lord,  who  is  high  above  the  highest,  and  glorified  above 
the  glorious,  and  who  punisheth  by  His  Word  whom¬ 
soever  glorifieth  himself  before  Him.  The  horses  and 
their  riders,  because  they  bare  themselves  proudly  and 
followed  after  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel,  He  hath 
thrown  and  buried  in  the  sea  of  Suph.] 

The  Lerd  is  Mighty,  and  greatly  to  be  feared  over  all 
the  world.  He  spake  in  His  Word,  and  became  to  me  a 
God  of  salvation. 

Prom  their  mothers*  breasts  even  the  children  have 
given  signs  with  their  fingers  to  their  fathers,  and  said, 
This  is  our  God,  who  nourished  us  with  honey  from  the 
rock,  and  with  oil  from  the  stone  of  clay,  at  the  time 
when  our  mothers  went  forth  upon  the  face  of  the  field 
to  give  us  birth,  and  leave  us  there ;  and  He  sent  an 
angel  who  washed  us  and  enwrapped  us  ;  and  now  will 
we  praise  Him :  He  is  the  God  of  our  fathers,  and  we 
will  exalt  Him. 

The  sons  of  Israel  said,  The  Lord  is  a  man  making 
war  for  us :  from  generation  to  generation  He  maketh 


492  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

known  His  power  unto  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel. 
The  Lord  is  His  Name;  according  to  His  Name,  so  is 
His  power ;  His  Name  shall  be  blessed  for  ever  and 
ever. 

The  chariots  of  Pharoh  and  his  hosts  He  hath  east 
into  the  sea ;  the  goodliest  of  his  young  men  hath  He 
thrown  and  drowned  in  the  sea  of  Suph.  The  deep 
covered  them  over,  they  went  down,  and  are  buried  in 
the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  are  silent  as  a  stone. 

Thy  right  hand,  0  Lord,  how  glorious  is  it  in  power ! 
Thy  right  hand,  O  Lord,  hath  cut  off  the  adversaries  of 
Thy  people  who  rose  against  them  to  do  them  hurt. 
And  in  the  plenitude  and  greatness  of  Thy  majesty 
Thou  hast  destroyed  the  walls  of  the  enemies  of  Thy 
people. 

Thou  wilt  pour  upon  them  Thy  fierce  anger.  Thou 
wilt  consume  them  as  the  burning  fire  prevails  over  the 
stubble.  Lor  by  the  Word  from  before  Thee  the  waters 
became  heaps ;  they  stood,  as  if  bound  like  skins  that 
confine  flowing  water,  and  the  depths  were  congealed  in 
the  flood  of  the  great  sea. 

Pharoh  the  wicked,  the  hater  and  adversary,  did  say, 
I  will  follow  after  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and 
will  lay  waste  their  camp  on  the  bank  of  the  sea :  I  will 
set  w7ar  in  array  against  them,  and  kill  them,  small  and 
great,  despoil  them  of  much  spoil,  bring  them  back  into 
great  captivity,  and  divide  their  substance  among  my 
people  who  make  war :  and  when  my  soul  is  satisfied 
with  the  blood  of  their  slain,  I  will  sheathe  my  sword, 
having  destroyed  them  with  my  right  hand. 

[Jerusalem.  The  Lord  is  Mighty,  and  greatly  to  be 
praised  and  feared  over  all  the  world.  He  spake  in 
His  Word,  and  for  us  became  salvation. 

[From  their  mothers'  breasts  have  even  the  children 
given  signs  with  their  fingers  unto  the  fathers,  and  have 


ON  EXODUS. 


493 


XV.] 


said  to  them,  This  is  our  Father,  who  nourished  us  with 
honey  from  the  rock,  and  gave  us  oil  from  the  stone  of 
clay. 

[The  sons  of  Israel  answered  and  said  one  to  another. 
He  is  our  God,  and  we  will  praise  Him ;  the  God  of  our 
fathers,  and  we  will  exalt  Him. 

[The  Lord  in  the  glory  of  His  Shekinah  is  He  who 
worketh  victory  for  your  arms.  From  one  generation 
to  another  He  maketh  known  His  power  to  the  people 
of  the  house  of  Israel. 

[His  Name  is  the  Lord :  as  is  His  Name,  so  is  His 
power;  let  His  name  be  glorified  for  ever  and  ever. 

[Upon  the  chariots  of  Pharoh  and  his  host  He  shot 
arrows  in  the  sea ;  his  goodly  young  men  and  his  men 
of  strength  He  hath  drowned  in  the  sea  of  Suph.  How 
glorious  is  Thy  right  hand,  O  Lord,  in  power,  which 
hath  broken  and  shattered  the  walls  of  the  enemies  of 
Thy  people ! 

[Pharoh  the  wicked,  the  hater  and  adversary,  did  say, 
I  will  follow  after  the  people  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and 
will  overtake  them  encamped  at  the  side  of  the  sea.  I 
will  lead  them  captive  into  great  captivity,  and  despoil 
them  of  great  spoil;  I  will  divide  their  substance 
among  my  men  of  war;  and  when  my  soul  shall  be 
satisfied  with  them,  I  will  sheathe  my  sword,  when  I 
shall  have  destroyed  them  with  my  right  hand.] 

Thou  didst  blow  with  the  wind  from  before  Thee,  0 
Lord,  and  the  waves  of  the  sea  covered  them ;  they 
went  down,  and  sank  as  lead  in  the  proud  waters. 

"Who  is  like  Thee  among  the  exalted  gods,  0  Lord, 
who  is  like  Thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises, 
doing  wonders  and  manifestations  for  Thy  people,  the 
house  of  Israel.? 

The  sea  spake  to  the  earth,  Receive  thy  children : 
but  the  earth  spake  to  the  sea,  Receive  thy  murderers. 


494  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  the  sea  was  not  willing  to  overwhelm  them,  and 
the  earth  was  not  willing  to  swallow  them  up.  The 
earth  was  afraid  to  receive  them,  lest  they  should  be 
required  from  her  in  the  day  of  the  great  judgment  in 
the  world  to  come,  even  as  the  blood  of  Habel  will  be 
required  of  her  :  whereupon  Thou,  0  Lord,  didst  stretch 
forth  Thy  right  hand  in  swearing  to  the  earth  that  in 
the  world  to  come  they  should  not  be  required  of 
her.  And  the  earth  opened  her  mouth  and  consumed 
them. 

[Jerusalem.  The  sea  and  the  earth  had  controversy 
one  with  the  other.  The  sea  said  to  the  earth.  Receive 
thy  children;  and  the  earth  said  to  the  sea.  Receive 
thy  murderers.  But  the  earth  willed  not  to  swallow 
them,  and  the  sea  willed  not  to  overwhelm  them.  And 
by  the  Word  from  before  Thee  Thou  didst  stretch  forth 
Thy  right  hand  in  oath,  and  didst  swear  unto  the  earth 
that  Thou  wilt  not  require  them  of  her  in  the  world  to 
come.  Then  did  the  earth  open  her  mouth  and 
swallow  them  up.] 

Thou  hast  led  in  Thy  mercy  the  people  whom  Thou 
hast  redeemed,  and  given  them  the  heritage  of  the 
mountain  of  Thy  sanctuary,  the  place  of  the  dwelling  of 
Thy  holy  Shekinah. 

The  nations  will  hear  and  be  afraid ;  terror  will  lay 
hold  upon  them,  even  upon  all  the  pillars  of  the  inha¬ 
bitants  of  the  Palestinian  land.  Behold,  then  will  the 
princes  of  the  Edomaee  be  confounded,  the  strong  ones 
of  Moaba  will  be  seized  with  fear,  their  heart  within 
them  will  melt  away,  even  all  the  pillars  of  the  inha¬ 
bitants  of  the  Kenaanian  land. 

Through  the  power  of  Thy  mighty  arm,  let  the 
terrors  of  death  fall  upon  them,  let  them  be  silent  as  a 
stone,  till  the  time  when  Thy  people,  0  Lord,  shall 
have  passed  the  streams  of  Arnona,  till  the  time  when 


ON  EXODUS. 


495 


£V.] 

Thy  people  whom  Thou  didst  ransom  shall  have  crossed 
the  dividing  current  of  Jabeka. 

Thou  wilt  bring  them  in,  and  plant  them  on  the 
mountain  of  Thy  sanctuary,  tbe  place  which  Thou  hast 
provided  before  the  throne  of  Thy  glory,  the  house  of 
Thy  holy  Shekinah,  which  Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  prepared, 
Thy  sanctuary  that  with  both  hands  Thou  hast 
established. 

When  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel  beheld  the 
signs  and  manifestations  which  the  Holy  One,  whose 
Name  be  praised,  had  done  at  the  sea  of  Suph,  and  the 
power  of  His  hand,  the  children  of  the  captives  answer¬ 
ing  said  one  to  the  other,  Come,  and  let  us  set  the 
crown  of  majesty  on  the  head  of  our  Eedeemer,  who 
maketh  to  pass  over,  and  passeth  not ;  who  changeth, 
and  is  not  changed ;  whose  is  the  crown  of  the  king¬ 
dom ;  the  King  of  kings  in  this  world ;  whose,  too, 
is  the  kingdom  in  the  world  to  come,  for  ever  and 
ever. 

[Jerusalem.  16.  Thou  wilt  make  the  terror  of 
death  to  fall  upon  them  and  undoing,  by  the  power  of 
Thy  mighty  arm,  that  they  shall  be  as  silent  as  a  stone, 
until  this  people  whom  Thou  hast  redeemed  shall  have 
gone  over  the  dividing  stream  of  Jobeka  and  that  of 
Jardena ;  till  this  people  shall  have  passed  over  whom 
Thou  hast  ransomed  for  Thy  Name.  17.  Thou  wilt 
bring  them  in,  and  wilt  plant  them  in  the  mountain  of 
Thy  inheritance,  the  dwelling  of  the  glory  of  Thy 
holiness,  which  Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  prepared  for  Thyself, 
the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  that  with  both  hands  He 
hath  established.  18.  When  the  house  of  Israel  had 
beheld  the  signs  and  wonders  that  the  Holy  One,  Blessed 
be  He,  had  wrought  for  them  at  the  border  of  the 
sea, — let  His  great  Name  be  blessed  for  ever  and  ever, — 
they  gave  glory  and  thanksgiving  and  exaltation  unto 


496  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

their  God.  The  sons  of  Israel  answered  and  said  one 
to  another,  Come,  let  us  set  the  crown  upon  the  head  of 
the  Redeemer,  who  causeth  to  pass  over,  but  is  not 
passed ;  who  changeth,  but  is  not  changed ;  the  King  of 
kings  in  this  world;  whose,  too,  is  the  crown  of ‘the 
kingdom  of  the  world  to  come,  and  wrhose  it  will  be  for 
ever  and  ever.] 

Tor  Pharoh's  horses  with  his  chariots  and  horsemen 
went  into  the  sea,  and  the  Lord  made  the  waters  of  the 
sea  to  return  upon  them ;  but  the  sons  of  Israel  walked 
upon  the  land  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  and  there  did 
spring  up  sweet  fountains  and  trees  yielding  food  and 
verdure  and  ripe  fruits,  (even)  on  the  ground  of  the 
sea. 

And  Miriam  the  prophetess,  the  sister  of  Aharon, 
took  a  tambourine  in  her  hand,  and  all  the  women 
came  out  after  her,  dancing  with  tambourines  and  play¬ 
ing  on  instruments.  [Jerusalem.  With  tambourines 
dancing.]  And  Miriam  sang  to  them,  Let  us  give 
thanks  and  praise  before  the  Lord,  for  might  and 
supremacy  are  His;  above  the  proud  He  is  glorified, 
and  above  the  lofty  He  is  exalted.  When  the  wicked 
Pharoh  in  his  pride  followed  after  the  people  of  the 
sons  of  Israel,  his  horses  and  his  chariots  did  He  cast 
and  drown  in  the  sea  of  Suph. 

And  Mosheh  made  Israel  go  forward  from  the  sea  of 
Suph,  and  they  went  forth  into  the  wilderness  of 
Chalutsa.  [Jerusalem.  The  way  of  Chalutsa.]  And  they 
journeyed  three  days  in  the  desert,  empty  of  instruc¬ 
tion,  and  found  no  water.  And  they  came  to  Marah, 
hut  could  not  drink  the  waters  of  Marah  because  they 
were  bitter ;  therefore  he  called  the  name  of  it  Marah. 
And  the  people  murmured  against  Mosheh,  saying. 
What  shall  we  drink  ?  .[Jerusalem.  And  the  people 
contended.]  And  he  prayed  before  the  Lord,  and  the 


ON  EXODUS. 


497 


XV.] 

Lord  showed  him  the  bitter  tree  of  Ardiphne ; 8  and 
he  wrote  upon  it  the  great  and  glorious  Name,  and  cast 
it  into  the  midst  of  the  waters,  and  the  waters  were 
rendered  sweet.  And  there  did  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
appoint  to  him  the  ordinance  of  the  sabbath,  and  the 
statute  of  honouring  father  and  mother,  the  judgments 
concerning  wounds  and  bruises,  and  the  punishments 
wherewith  offenders  are  punished ;  and  there  he  tried 
(them)  with  the  tenth  trial,  and  said,  If  you  will  truly 
hearken  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord  your  God,  and  do  that 
which  is  right  before  Him,  and  will  listen  to  His  precepts 
and  keep  all  His  statutes,  all  those  evil  things  that  I 
laid  upon  the  Mizraee  I  will  not  lay  upon  thee  :  but  if 
thou  wilt  transgress  against  the  word  of  the  law,  upon 
thee  shall  they  be  sent.  If  thou  convert,  I  will  remove 
them  from  thee ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  Healer. 
[Jerusalem.  25.  And  Mosheh  prayed  before  the 
Lord,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  showed  him  the  tree 
of  Ardiphene,  and  he  cast  it  into  the  midst  of  the 
waters,  and  the  waters  were  made  sweet.  There  did 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  show  unto  him  statutes  and 
orders  of  judgment,  and  there  He  tried  him  with  trials 
in  the  tenth  trial.  26.  Lor  I  am  the  Lord  who  healeth 
thee  by  My  Word.]  And  they  came  to  Elim;  and  in 
Elim  were  twelve  fountains  of  water,  a  fountain  for 
each  tribe ;  and  seventy  palm-trees,  corresponding  with 
the  seventy  elders  of  Israel :  and  they  encamped  there 
by  the  waters.  [Jerusalem.  And  they  came  to  Elim, 
■where  were  twelve  fountains  of  water,  answering  to  th 

8  The  Ardiphne,  Hirdoph,  and  sometimes  Rododaphne,  is  described 
in  Shemoth  Rabba  as  a  tree  which  grows  beside  water,  and  bears 
flowers  like  lilies,  of  a  bitter  taste.  The  name  is  given  also  to  the 
bitter  herbs  eaten  with  the  passover.  (Tr.  Pesachivi ,  39.)  The  old 
commentator  in  the  Yalkut  says,  “This  was  one  miracle  within  another, 
— bitter  waters  made  sweet  by  a  bitter  tree.” 


498  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  and  seventy  palm-trees,  answer¬ 
ing  to  the  seventy  elders  of  the  sanhedrin  of  Israel.] 

XVI.  And  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel  jour¬ 
neyed  from  Elim,  and  came  to  the  desert  of  Sin,  which 
is  between  Elim  and  Sinai,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the 
month  of  Ijar,  the  second  month  from  their  going  forth 
from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And  on  that  day  the  bread 
which  they  had  brought  out  of  Mizraim  was  finished. 
And  all  the  sons  of  Israel  grumbled  against  Mosheh 
and  against  Aharon  in  the  desert.  And  the  sons  of 
Israel  said  to  them,  Would  that  we  had  died  by  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  Mizraim,  when  we  sat 
by  the  cisterns  of  meat,  and  ate  bread  and  had  enough  ! 
Why  hast  thou  brought  us  out  into  this  wilderness  to 
kill  all  this  congregation  with  hunger?  And  the  Lord 
said  to  Mosheh,  Behold,  I  will  cause  the  bread  which 
hath  been  laid  up  for  you  from  the  beginning  to 
descend  from  heaven :  and  the  people  shall  go  out  and 
gather  the  matter  of  a  day  by  the  day,  that  I  may  try 
them  whether  they  will  keep  the  commandments  of  My 
law  or  not.  And  on  the  sixth  day  they  shall  prepare 
what  they  set  before  them  to  eat  on  the  day  of  the 
Sabbath ;  and  they  shall  mix  in  the  houses  and  com¬ 
municate  in  their  dwellings,  so  that  by  carrying  this  to 
that,  they  may  have  double  of  that  which  they  gather 
from  day  to  day. 

And  Mosheh  and  Aharon  said  to  all  the  sons  of 
Israel,  At  evening  you  shall  know  that  the  Lord  hath 
brought  you  out  free  from  the  land  of  Mizraim  ;  and  in 
the  morning  will  be  revealed  to  you  the  glory  of  the 
Shekinah  of  the  Lord  ;  and  wre,  what  are  we  accounted, 
that  you  complain  against  us  ?  [Jerusalem.  And  we, 
what  are  we  accounted  ?]  And  Mosheh  said,  By  this 
you  shall  know,  when  the  Lord  prepareth  you  at 
evening  flesh  to  eat,  and  in  the  morning  bread  to 


ON  EXODUS. 


499 


XVI.] 

satisfy,  that  your  complainings  wherewith  you  complain 
against  Him  are  heard  before  the  Lord.  And  we, 
what  are  we  accounted  ?  Your  complaints  are  not 
against  us,  but  against  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  And 
Mosheh  said  to  Aharon,  Bid  all  the  congregation 
of  the  sons  of  Israel  draw  nigh  before  the  Lord ;  for 
your  murmurings  are  heard  before  Him. 

And  it  was  while  Aharon  was  speaking  with  all  the 
congregation  of  Israel  that  they  turned  towards  the 
desert,  and,  behold,  the  glory  of  the  majesty  of  the 
Lord  was  revealed  in  the  cloud  of  glory.  And  the 
Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  Hearing  I  have  heard 
the  murmurings  of  the  sons  of  Israel  before  Me.  Speak: 
thou  with  them,  saying,  Between  the  evenings  (suns) 
you  shall  eat  flesh,  and  in  the  morning  shall  you  eat 
bread,  and  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  in  the  evening  the  phea¬ 
sants9  came  up  and  covered  the  camp;  and  in  the 
morning  there  was  a  fall  of  holy  dew,  prepared  as  a 
table,  round  about  the  camp :  and  the  clouds  ascended 
and  caused  manna  to  descend  upon  the  dew ;  and  there 
was  upon  the  face  of  the  desert  a  minute  (substance)  in 
lines,10  minute  as  the  hoar  frost  upon  the  ground. 
[Jerusalem:.  As  hoar  frost.]  And  the  sons  of  Israel 
beheld,  and  wondered,  and  said,  a  man  to  his  com¬ 
panion,  Man  Hu?1  for  they  knew  not  what  it  was. 
And  Mosheh  said  to  them,  It  is  the  bread  which  hath 
been  laid  up  for  you  from  the  beginning  in  the  heavens 
on  high,  and  now  the  Lord  will  give  it  you  to  eat. 
This  is  the  word  which  the  Lord  hath  dictated :  You 
are  to  gather  of  it,  every  man  according  to  the  number 
of  your  souls ;  every  man  according  to  the  mouth  of  the 
number  of  the  persons  of  his  tabernacle,  are  you  to  take. 
Amd  the  sons  of  Israel  did  so,  and  gathered  manna 
9  Phisyonin.  10  Mesargal .  1  “  What  is  it  ?  ” 


500 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap 


more  or  less ;  but  when  they  measured  by  the  homer 
nothing  remained  above  the  measure  of  him  who  had 
gathered  much ;  and  he  who  had  gathered  little,  wanted 
nothing  of  the  measure :  every  man  according  to  the 
mouth  of  his  eating,  so  they  gathered.  And  Mosheh 
said  to  them,  Let  no  man  make  a  reserve  of  it  till  the 
morning.  But  (some  of  them)  hearkened  not  toj 
Mosheh :  Dathan  and  Abiram,  men  of  wickedness,  did! 
reserve  of  it  till  the  morning;  but  it  produced  worms 
and  putrefied;  and  Mosheh  was  ^ngry  with  them. 
And  they  gathered  from  the  time  of  the  dawn  until  the 
fourth  hour  of  the  day,  every  man  according  to  his 
eating;  but  at  the  fourth  hour,  when  the  sun  had 
waxed  hot  upon  it,  it  liquefied,  and  made  streams  of 
water,  [Jerusalem.  Became  as  Streams,]  which  flowed 
away  into  the  Great  Sea;  and  wild  animals  that  were 
clean,  and  cattle,  came  to  drink  of  it,  and  the  sons  of 
Israel  hunted,  and  ate  them.  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  sixth  day  they  gathered  double  bread,  two  homers  a 
man;  and  all  the  princes  of  the  congregation  came  and 
told  Mosheh.  And  Mosheh  said  to  them.  This  which 
the  Lord  hath  told  you,  do.  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of 
the  holy  Sabbath  before  the  Lord :  That  which  is  need¬ 
ful  to  have  to  bake  for  to-morrow,  bake  to-day ;  and 
what  is  needful  to  boil  for  to-morrow,  boil  to-day :  and 
all  whatever  remaineth  of  that  which  you  eat  to-day  lay 
it  up,  and  it  shall  be  preserved  until  the  morning. 
And  they  laid  it  up  until  the  morning,  as  Mosheh  had 
directed  them  ;  and  it  did  not  corrupt,  and  no  worm 
was  in  it.  And  Mosheh  said  to  them,  Eat  to-day, 
because  this  is  the  Sabbath  day  before  the  Lord.  This 
day  you  will  not  find  any  in  the  field.  "Six  days  you 
shall  gather,  but  on  the  seventh  day,  which  is  the  Sab¬ 
bath,  no  manna  will  come  down.  And  it  was  that  on 
the  seventh  day  some  of  the  wicked  of  the  people  went 


ON  EXODUS. 


501 


XVII.] 

forth  to  gather  manna,  but  they  found  none.  And  the 
Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  How  long  will  ye  refuse  to  keep 
My  commandments  and  My  laws  ?  Behold,  because  I 
have  given  you  the  Sabbath,  I  gave  you  on  the  sixth 
day  bread  for  two  days.  Let  every  man  abide  in  his 
place,  and  not  wander  from  one  locality  to  another, 
beyond  four  yards ; 3  nor  let  any  man  go  forth  to  walk 
beyond  two  thousand  yards  on  the  seventh  day ;  for  the 
people  shall  repose  on  the  seventh  day. 

And  the  house  of  Israel  called  the  name  of  it  Manna ; 
and  it  was  like  the  seed  of  coriander,3  white,  and  the 
taste  of  it  like  preparations  of  honey.  [Jerusalem. 
Like  the  seed  of  coriander,  and  the  taste  of  it  like  con¬ 
fections  of  honey.]  And  Mosheh  said,  This  is  the 
thing  which  the  Lord  hath  commanded — to  lay  up  of  it 
a  homer-full  to  keep  in  your  generations ;  that  perverse 
generations  may  see  the  bread  which  you  have  eaten  in 
the  wilderness,  in  your  coming  forth  out  of  the  land  of 
Mizraim.  And  Mosheh  said  to  Aharon,  Take  one 
earthen  vase,  and  put  therein  a  full  homera  of  manna, 
and  lay  it  up  before  the  Lord  to  be  kept  unto  your 
generations.  As  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh,  so  did 
Aharon  lay  it  up  before  the  testimony  to  be  kept. 
And  the  children  of  Israel  ate  the  manna  forty  years, 
until  they  came  to  an  inhabited  land  :  manna  did  they 
eat  forty  days  after  his  death,  until  they  had  passed  the 
Jordena,  and  entered  upon  the  borders  of  the  land  of 
■Kenaan.  And  a  homera  is  one  tenth  of  three  seahs. 

XVII.  And  all  the  congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel 
ijourneyed  from  the  desert  of  Sin  by  their  journeyings 
according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  they  encamped 
in  Bephidim,  a  place  where  their  hands  were  idle  in  the 
commandments  of  the  law,  and  the  fountains  were  dry, 
ind  there  was  no  water  for  the  people  to  drink.  And 

2  Garmidee.  3  Kusehar. 


502  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  wicked  of  the  people  contended  with  Mosheh,  and 
said,  Give  us  water,  that  we  may  drink.  And  Mosheh 
said  to  them,  Why  contend  you  with  me?  and  why 
tempt  you  before  the  Lord?  But  the  people  were 
athirst  for  wrater,  and  the  people  murmured  against 
Mosheh,  and  said,  Why  hast  thou  made  us  come  up 
out  of  Mizraim,  to  kill  us,  and  our  children,  and  our 
cattle  with  thirst  ?  And  Mosheh  prayed  before  the 
Lord,  saying,  What  shall  I  do  for  this  people  ?  Yet  a 
very  little,  and  they  will  stone  me.  And  the  Lord  said, 
to  Mosheh,  Pass  over  before  the  people,  and  take  with 
thee  some  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  the  rod  with, 
which  thou  didst  smite  the  river  take  in  thy  hand,  and' 
go  from  the  face  of  their  murmuring.  Behold,  I  will 
stand  before  thee  there,  on  the  spot  where  thou  sawest 
the  impress 4  of  the  foot  on  Horeb  ;  and  thou  shalfc 
smite  the  rock  with  thy  rod,  and  therefrom  shall  come 
forth  waters  for  drinking,  and  the  people  shall  drink. 
And  Mosheh  did  so  before  the  elders  of  Israel.  And 
he  called  the  name  of  that  place  Temptation  and  Strife; 
because  there  the  sons  of  Israel  contended  with  Mosheh, 
and  because  they  tempted  the  Lord,  saying,  Doth  the 
glory  of  the  majesty  of  the  Lord  truly  dwell  among  us, 
or  not  ? 

And  Amalek  came  from  the  land  of  the  south,  and 
leaped  on  that  night  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  miles; 
and  on  account  of  the  disagreement  which  had  been 
between  Esau  and  Jakob,  he  came  and  waged  war  with 
Israel  in  Rephidim,  and  took  and  killed  (some  of  the) 
men  of  the  house  of  Dan ;  for  the  cloud  did  not 
embrace  them,  because  of  the  strange  worship  that  was 
among  them.  And  Mosheh  said  to  Jeh'oshua,  Choose 
such  men  as  are  strong  in  the  precepts,  and  victorious 
in  fight ;  and  go,  under  the  Cloud  of  glory,  and  set 
4  Ros/iem. 


ON  EXODUS. 


503 


XVII.] 

battle  in  array  against  the  hosts  of  Amalek.  To-morrow 
I  will  stand,  prepared  with  fasting,  with  the  righteous 
fathers  of  the  chiefs  of  the  people,  and  the  righteous 
mothers  who  are  like  the  hills,  with  the  rod  with  which 
the  miracles  have  been  wrought  from  before  the  Lord, 
in  my  hand.  And  Jehoshua  did  as  Mosheh  had  bidden 
him,  to  wage  war  with  Amalek.  And  Mosheh,  and 
Aharon,  and  Hur  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  height. 
And  it  was,  when  Mosheh  lifted  up  his  hands  in  prayer, 
that  the  house  of  Israel  prevailed ;  and  when  he  rested 
his  hand  from  praying,  that  the  house  of  Amalek  pre¬ 
vailed.  And  the  hands  of  Mosheh  were  heavy,  because 
the  conflict  was  prolonged  till  the  morrow,  and  the 
deliverance  of  Israel  was  not  prepared  on  that  day ;  and 
he  could  not  hold  them  up  in  prayer ;  on  which  account 
he  would  have  afflicted  his  soul.  And  they  took  a 
stone,  and  placed  it  under  him,  and  he  sat  upon  it; 
and  Aharon  and  Hur  supported  his  hands,  this  the 
one,  and  that  the  other;  and  his  hands  were  out¬ 
stretched  with  firmness,  (or,  fidelity,)  in  prayer  and  fast¬ 
ing,  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  And  Jehoshua 
shattered  Amalek,  and  cut  off  the  heads  of  the  strong 
men  of  his  people,  by  the  mouth  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  with  the  slaughter  of  the  sword.  [Jerusa¬ 
lem.  11.  And  it  was  that  when  Mosheh  lifted  up  his 
hands  in  prayer,  the  house  of  Israel  prevailed ;  and 
when  his  hands  declined  from  prayer,  Amalek  prevailed ; 
and  (Israel)  fell  in  the  line  of  battle.  12.  And  the 
hands  of  Mosheh  were  lifted  up  in  prayer.] 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mosheh,  Write  this  memo¬ 
rial  in  the  book  of  the  elders  that  were  of  old,  and 
these  words  in  the  hearing  of  Jehoshua,  that  blotting,  I 
will  blot  out  the  memory  of  Amalek  from  under  the 
heavens.  And  Mosheh  builded  an  altar,  and  called  the 
name  of  it,  The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  my  banner;  for 


504  TAEGU M  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  sign  which  He  hath  wrought  (in  this)  place  was  on 
my  behalf.  And  he  said,  Because  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  hath  sworn  by  the  throne  of  His  glory,  that  He 
by  His  Word  will  fight  against  those  of  the  house  of 
Amalek,  and  destroy  them  unto  three  generations ;  from 
the  generation  of  this  world,  from  the  generation  of  the 
Meshiha,  and  from  the  generation  of  the  world  to  come. 
[Jerusalem.  16.  And  he  said,  The  oath  hath  come 
forth  from  beneath  the  throne  of  the  Great  One,  of  all 
the  world  the  Lord ;  the  first  king  who  will  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  the  kingdom  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  Shaul, 
the  son  of  Kish,  will  set  the  battle  in  array  against, 
the  house  of  Amalek,  and  will  slay  them ;  and  those  of 
them  that  remain  will  Mardekai  and  Esther  destroy. 
The  Lord  hath  said  by  His  Word  that  the  memory  of 
Amalek  shall  perish  to  the  age  of  ages.] 


SECTION  XVII. 

JETHRO. 

And  Jethro,  prince  of  Midian,  the  father-in-law  of 
Mosheh,  heard  all  that  the  Lord  had  done  for  Mosheh 
and  for  Israel  His  people,  and  that  the  Lord  had  brought 
forth  Israel  from  Mizraim.  And  Jethro  the  father-in- 
law  of  Mosheh  took  Zipporah  his  wife,  whom  Mosheh 
had  sent  back  from  him  after  going  into  Mizraim,  and 
his  two  sons,  the  name  of  the  one  of  whom  was  Gershom, 
Because,  he  had  said,  I  am  a  dweller  in  a  strange  land 
which  is  not  mine;  and  the  name  of  the  other  Eliezer, 
Eor  (he  had  said)  the  God  of  my  fathers  was  my  helper, 
and  saved  me  from  the  sword  of  Pharoli.  And  Jethro 


ON  EXODUS. 


505 


XVIII.] 

the  father-in-law  of  Mosheh,  and  the  sons  of  Mosheh, 
and  his  wife,  came  to  Mosheli  at  the  desert  in  which  he 
was  sojourning  hard  by  the  mountain  upon  which  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  was  revealed  to  Mosheli  at  the  be¬ 
ginning.  And  he  said  to  Mosheh,  I,  thy  father-in-law 
Jethro,  have  come  to  thee  to  be  a  proselyte  ;  and  if  thou 
wilt  not  receive  me  on  my  own  account,  receive  me  for 
the  sake  of  thy  wife  and  of  her  two  sons  who  are  with 
her.  And  Mosheh  came  forth  from  under  the  cloud  of 
glory  to  meet  his  father-in-law,  and  did  obeisance,  and 
kissed  him,  and  made  him  a  proselyte ;  and  they  asked 
of  each  other's  welfare,  and  came  to  the  tabernacle,  the 
house  of  instruction.  And  Mosheh  recounted  to  his 
father-in-law  all  that  the  Lord  had  done  to  Pharoh  and 
to  the  Mizraee  on  behalf  of  Israel;  all  the  hardship  they 
had  found  in  the  way,  at  the  sea  of  Suph,  and  at  Marah, 
and  at  Rephidim,  and  how  Amalek  had  fought  with  them, 
and  the  Lord  had  delivered  them.  And  Jethro  rejoiced 
over  all  the  good  which  the  Lord  had  done  unto  Israel, 
and  that  He  had  given  them  manna,  and  the  well,  and 
that  He  had  saved  them  from  the  hand  of  the  Mizraee. 
And  Jethro  said,  Blessed  be  the  Name  of  the  Lord  who 
hath  saved  you  from  the  hand  of  the  Mizraee,  and  from 
the  hand  of  Pharoh,  and  hath  saved  the  people  from 
under  the  tyranny  of  the  Mizraee.  Now  have  I  known 
that  the  Lord  is  stronger  than  all  gods ;  for  by  the  very 
thing  by  which  the  Mizraee  wickedly  would  have 
punished  Israel  by  (drowning  them  in)  the'  sea,  upon 
themselves  came  the  punishment,  in  being  punished  in 
the  sea.  And  Jethro  took  burnt  offerings  and  holy 
sacrifices  before  the  Lord,  and  Aharon  and  all  the  elders 
of  Israel  came  to  eat  bread  with  the  father-in-law  of 
Mosheh  before  the  Lord ;  and  Mosheh  stood  and  minis¬ 
tered  before  them. 

And  the  day  after,  the  day  of  reconciliation,  Mosheh 


506  TAEGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

sat  to  judge  the  people :  and  the  people  stood  before 
Mosheh  from  morning  till  evening.  And  the  father-in- 
law  of  Mosheh  saw  how  much  he  toiled  and  laboured 
for  his  people;  and  he  said,  What  thing  is  this  that 
thou  art  doing  to  the  people  ?  Why  dost  thou  sit  alone 
to  judge,  and  all  the  people  stand  before  thee  from 
morning  until  evening?  And  Mosheh  said  to  his 
father-in-law,  Because  the  people  come  to  me  to  inquire 
for  instruction  from  before  the  Lord.  When  they  have 
a  matter  for  judgment,  they  come  to  me,  and  I  judge 
between  a  man  and  his  fellow,  and  make  them  to  know 
the  statutes  and  the  law  of  the  Lord.  And  the  father- 
in-law  of  Mosh6h  said  to  him,  This  thing  that  thou  art 
doing  is  not  well  ordered ;  thou  wilt  verily  wear  thyself 
away.  Aharon  also,  and  his  sons,  and  the  elders  of  thy 
people,  because  the  thing  is  heavier  than  thou  art  able 
to  do  by  thyself,  (should  take  part  in  it.)  Now  hearken 
to  me,  and  I  will  advise  thee;  and  may  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  be  thy  helper !  When  thou  art  with  the  people 
who  seek  instruction  from  before  the  Lord,  thou  shouldst 
take  their  affair  before  the  Lord>  and  give  them  counsel 
about  the  statutes  and  laws,  make  them  understand  the 
prayer  they  are  to  offer  in  the  house  of  congregation, 
the  manner  of  visiting  the  sick,  of  burying  the  dead,  of 
being  fruitful  in  doing  good,  and  in  the  work  and  process 
of  justice,  and  how  to  conduct  themselves  among  the 
wicked.  But  thou  shouldst  elect  from  all  the  people 
men  of  ability  who  fear  the  Lord,  upright  men  who  hate 
to  receive  the  mammon  of  dishonesty,  and  superappoint 
them  to  be  heads  of  thousands,  of  hundreds,  of  fifties, 
and  of  tens.  And  let  them  judge  the  people  at  all  times, 
and  every  great  matter  bring  to  thee,  but  every  little 
thing  let  them  judge  themselves,  that  they  may  lighten 
the  burden  that  is  upon  thee,  and  bear  it  with  thee.  If 
thou  wilt  do  this,  and  exempt  thyself  from  judging  (every 


ON  EXODUS. 


507 


XIX.] 

case)  as  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  instruction,  thou  wilt 
be  able  to  continue  to  hear  them ;  and  Aharon  also  and 
his  sons,  and  all  the  elders  of  this  people,  will  resort  to 
the  place  of  judgment  in  peace.  And  Mosheh  hearkened 
to  his  father-in-law,  and  did  all  that  he  had  said.  And 
Mosheh  selected  able  men  from  all  Israel,  and  appointed 
them  chiefs  over  the  people,  rabbans  of  thousands,  six 
hundred ;  rabbans  of  hundreds,  six  thousand ;  rabbans 
of  fifties,  twelve  thousand ;  and  rabbans  of  tens,  six 
myriads.  And  they  judged  the  people  at  all  times ;  a 
hard  case  they  brought  to  Mosheh ;  but  every  light 
matter  they  judged  it.  And  Mosheh  parted  from  his 
father-in-law,  and  he  went,  and  himself  made  proselytes 
of  all  the  children  of  his  land. 

XIX.  In  the  third  month  of  the  Exodus  of  the  sons 
of  Israel  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  on  that  day,  the 
first  of  the  month,  came  they  to  the  desert ;  for  they  had 
journeyed  from  Rephidim,  and  had  come  to  the  desert  of 
Sinai ;  and  Israel  encamped  there  in  the  desert,  of  one 
heart,  nigh  to  the  mountain.  And  Mosheh  on  the 
second  day  went  up  to  the  summit  of  the  mount;  and 
the  Lord  called  to  him  from  the  mount,  saying.  This 
shalt  thou  speak  to  the  men  of  the  house  of  Jakob,  and 
instruct  the  house  of  Israel.  [Jerusalem.  And 
Mosheh  went  up  to  seek  instruction  from  before  the 
Lord ;  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  anticipated  him  from 
the  mountain,  saying,  Thus  shalt  thou  speak  to  the  men 
of  the  house  of  Jakob,  and  teach  the  congregation  of 
the  sons  of  Israel.] 

Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  to  the  Mizraee ;  and  how  I 
bare  you  upon  the  clouds  as  upon  eagles'  wings  from 
Pelusin,  to  take  you  to  the  place  of  the  sanctuary,  there 
to  solemnize  the  Pascha ;  and  in  the  same  night  brought 
you  back  to  Pelusin,  and  from  thence  have  brought  you 
nigh,  to  (receive)  the  doctrine  of  My  law.  And  now, 
z  2 


508  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

if  you  will  truly  hearken  to  My  Word  and  keep  My 
covenant,  you  shall  be  more  beloved  before  Me  than  all 
the  peoples  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  And  before  Me 
you  shall  be  crowned  kings,  and  sanctified  priests,  and  a 
holy  people.  These  are  the  words  thou  shalt  speak  to 
the  sons  of  Israel.  And  Mosheh  came  that  day,  and 
called  the  elders  of  the  people,  and  set  in  order  before 
them  all  these  words  which  the  Lord  had  commanded. 
And  all  the  people  responded  together,  and  said,  All 
that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do. 

And  Mosheh  carried  back  the  words  of  the  people 
before  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Behold, 
on  the  third  day  I  will  reveal  Myself  to  thee  in  the  depth  * 
of  the  cloud  of  glory,  that  the  people  may  hear  while  I 
speak  with  thee,  and  may  believe  in  thee  for  ever.  And 
Mosheh  delivered  the  words  of  the  people  before  the  Lord.  : 
[Jerusalem.  4.  You  have  seen  what  vengeance  I  have 
taken  of  the  Mizraee,  and  (how)  I  bare  you  upon  the 
light  clouds  as  upon  eagles'  wings,  and  brought  you 
nigh  to  the  doctrine  of  My  law.  And  now,  if  you  will 
truly  hearken  to  the  voice  of  My  Word,  and  will  keep 
My  covenant,  you  shall  be  unto  My  Name  a  distinct 
people,  and  beloved  as  a  precious  treasure  above  all 
peoples ;  for  all  the  earth  is  to  the  Name  of  the  Lord. 
And  to  My  Name  shall  you  be  kings  and  priests  and  a 
holy  people.  These  are  the  words  thou  shalt  speak. 
And  Mosheh  came  and  called  the  sages  of  Israel,  and 
set  in  order  before  them  all  these  words  which  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  had  commanded  him.  And  all  the  people 
answered  together  in  the  fulness  of  their  heart,  and  said. 
All  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken,  we  will  do. 
And  Mosheh  returned  the  words  of  the  people  in  prayer 
before  the  Lord.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  said  to 
Mosheh,  Behold,  My  Word  will  be  revealed  to  thee  in  the 
thickness  of  the  cloud,  that  the  people  may  hear  while 


ON  EXODUS. 


509 


XIX.] 

I  speak  with  thee,  and  may  also  believe  for  ever  in  the 
words  of  the  prophecy  of  thee,  My  servant  Mosheh.  And 
Mosheh  delivered  the  words  of  the  people  in  prayer 
before  the  Lord.] 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh  on  the  fourth  day,  Go 
unto  the  people,  and  prepare  them  to-day  and  to¬ 
morrow  ;  let  them  wash  their  raiment,  and  be  prepared 
on  the  third  day ;  for  on  the  third  day  the  Lord  will 
reveal  Himself  to  the  eyes  of  all  the  people,  upon  the 
Mount  of  Sinai.  And  thou  shalt  set  limits  for  the  peo¬ 
ple,  that  they  may  stand  round  about  the  mountain,  and 
shalt  say,  Beware  that  you  ascend  not  the  mount,  nor 
come  near  its  confines ;  whoever  cometh  nigh  the  mount 
will  be  surely  put  to  death.  Touch  it  not  with  the 
hand ;  for  he  will  be  stoned  with  hailstone,  or  be  pierced 
with  arrows  of  fire ;  whether  beast  or  man,  he  will  not 
live.  But  when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  is  heard,  they 
may  go  up  (forwards)  towards  the  mount.  [Jerusa¬ 
lem.  No  man  shall  touch  it  with  the  hand;  for  stoned 
he  will  be  stoned,  or  fiery  arrows  will  flee  against  him ; 
whether  beast  or  man,  he  will  not  live.  When  the 
trumpet  soundeth,  they  may  go  up  toward  the  moun¬ 
tain.]  And  Mosheh  went  down  that  day  to  the  people, 
and  prepared  the  people,  and  they  blanched  their  clothes. 
And  he  said  to  the  people,  Be  ready  for  the  third  day ; 
abstain  from  the  marriage-bed.  [Jerusalem.  And  he 
said  to  the  people,  Be  ready  for  the  third  day ;  abstain 
from  the  marriage-bed.] 

And  it  was  on  the  third  day,  on  the  sixth  of  the 
month,  in  the  time  of  the  morning,  that  on  the  moun¬ 
tain  there  were  voices  of  thunders,  and  lightnings,  and 
mighty  clouds  of  smoke,  and  a  voice  of  a  trumpet 
exceeding  loud ;  and  all  the  people  in  the  camp 
trembled.  And  Mosheh  brought  forth  the  people  from 
the  camp  to  meet  the  glorious  Presence  of  the  Lord; 


510 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 

and  suddenly  the  Lord  of  the  world  uprooted  the 
mountain,  and  lifted  it  in  the  air,  and  it  became 
luminous  as  a  beacon,  and  they  stood  beneath  the 
mountain.  And  all  the  mount  of  Sinai  was  in  flame ; 
for  the  heavens  had  overspread  it,  and  He  was  revealed 
over  it  in  flaming  fire,  and  the  smoke  went  up  as  the 
smoke  of  a  furnace,  and  all  the  mountain  quaked 
greatly.  [Jerusalem.  And  all  mount  Sinai  sent  up 
smoke,  because  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord 
was  revealed  upon  it  in  flame  of  fire.]  And  the  voice 
of  the  trumpet  went  forth,  and  grew  stronger  :  (then) 
Mosheh  spake,  and  was  answered  from  before  the  Lord 
with  a  gracious  and  majestic  voice,  and  with  pleasant 
and  gracious  words.  And  the  Lord  revealed  Himself 
on  mount  Sinai  upon  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  and 
the  Lord  called  unto  Mosheh  from  the  summit  of  the 
mount,  and  Mosheh  went  up.  And  the  Lord  said  to 
Mosheh,  Descend,  and  warn  the  people,  lest  they  come 
directly  before  the  Lord  to  gaze,  and  many  of  them  fall. 
The  priests,  also,  who  approach  to  minister  before  the 
Lord,  must  be  sanctified,  lest  the  Lord  destroy  them. 
And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  The  people 
cannot  come  up  to  mount  Sinai,  because  Thou  didst 
instruct  us,  saying,  Make  limits  to  the  mount,  and 
sanctify  it.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him,  Go  down,  and 
then  ascend,  thou  and  Aharon  with  thee;  but  let  not 
the  priests  or  the  people  directly  come  up  to  gaze  before 
the  Lord,  lest  He  slay  them.  And  Mosheh  went  down 
from  the  mountain  to  the  people,  and  said  to  them, 
Draw  nigh,  and  hear  the  Law  with  Ten  Words.* 
[Jerusalem.  And  Mosheh  went  down  from  the  moun¬ 
tain  to  the  people,  and  said  to  them,  Draw  nigh,  and 
receive  the  Ten  Words.] 

XX.  And  the  Lord  spake  all  these  words,  saying : 

5  Im  asarti  dibraia. 


XX.]  ON  EXODUS.  511 

[Jerusalem.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  spake  all 
the  excellency 6  of  these  words,  saying  :] 

The  first  word,  as  it  came  forth  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Holy  One,  whose  Name  be  blessed,  was  like  storms, 
and  lightnings,  and  flames  of  fire,  with  a  burning  light 
on  His  right  hand  and  on  His  left.  It  winged  its  way 
through  the  air  of  the  heavens,  and  was  made  manifest 
unto  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  returned,  and  was  engraven 
on  the  tables  of  the  covenant  that  were  given  by  the 
hand  of  Mosheh,  and  were  turned  in  them 7  from  side 
to  side  :  and  then  called  He,  and  said  : 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  I  am  the  Lord  your  God, 
who  brought  you  out  free  from  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
from  the  house  of  the  bondage  of  slaves.  The  second 
word  which  came  forth  from  the  mouth  of  the  Holy 
One,  whose  name  be  blessed,  was  like  storms,  and  light¬ 
nings,  and  flames  of  fire.  A  burning  light  was  on  His 
right  hand  and  on  His  left,  and  was  borne  through  the  air 
of  the  heavens,  returned,  and  was  made  manifest  unto  the 
camp  of  Israel ;  it  returned,  and  was  engraven  on  the 
tables  of  the  covenant,  and  was  turned  in  them  from  side 
to  side.  Then  called  He,  and  said,  House  of  Israel,  My 
people,  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  God  beside  Me.  You 
shall  not  make  to  yourselves  image  or  figure,  or  any  simi¬ 
litude  of  what  is  in  the  heavens  above,  or  on  the  earth 
beneath,  or  in  the  waters  under  the  earth.  You  shall 
not  bow  down  to  them,  or  worship  before  them ;  for  I 
the  Lord  your  God  am  a  jealous  God  and  an  avenger, 
punishing  with  vengeance,  recording  the  guilt  of  wicked 
fathers  upon  rebellious  children  unto  the  third  and 
unto  the  fourth  generation  of  them  who  hate  Me ;  but 
keeping  mercy  and  goodness  for  thousands  of  genera¬ 
tions  of  the  righteous  who  love  Me,  and  who  keep  My 
commandments  and  My  laws. 

6  She  bach,  “praise.” 


7  Mithhaphik  behon. 


O1*  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

My  people  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Let  no  one  of  you 
swear  by  the  name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  your  God 
in  vain ;  for  in  the  day  of  the  great  judgment  the  Lord 
will  not  hold  guiltless  any  one  who  sweareth  by  His 
name  in  vain. 

My  people  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Remember  the  day 
of  Shabbatha,  to  sanctify  it.  Six  days  you  shall  labour, 
and  do  all  your  service :  but  the  seventh  day  is  (for) 
rest  and  quietude  before  the  Lord  your  God :  you  shall 
not  perform  any  work,  you,  and  your  sons,  and  your 
daughters,  and  your  servants,  and  your  handmaids,  and 
your  sojourners  who  are  in  your  cities.  Lor  in  six  days 
the  Lord  created  the  heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  the 
sea,  and  whatever  is  therein,  and  rested  on  the  seventh 
day :  therefore  the  Lord  hath  blessed  the  day  of  Shab¬ 
batha,  and  sanctified  it. 

My  people,  the  house  of  Israel,  Let  every  man  be 
instructed  in  the  honour  of  his  father  and  in  the  honour 
of  his  mother  :  that  your  days  may  be  multiplied  upon 
the  land  which  the  Lord  your  God  giveth  you. 

My  people,  the  sons  of  Israel,  You  shall  not  be  mur¬ 
derers  ;  you  shall  not  be  companions  of  or  partakers 
with  murderers :  in  the  congregations  of  Israel  there 
shall  not  be  seen  a  murderous  people;  neither  shall 
your  sons  rise  up  after  you  and  teach  one  another  to 
take  part  with  murderers :  for  on  account  of  the  guilt 
of  murder  the  sword  cometh  forth  upon  the  world. 

My  people  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Be  ye  not  adul¬ 
terers,  nor  companions  nor  partakers  with  adulterers : 
nor  in  the  congregations  of  Israel  shall  there  be  seen  an 
adulterous  people,  that  your  sons  may  not  arise  after 
you  to  teach  one  another  to  have  part  with  adulterers : 
for  through  the  guilt  of  adultery  death  cometh  forth 
upon  the  world. 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people.  Ye  shall  not  be  thieves, 


XX.] 


ON  EXODUS. 


513 


nor  companions  nor  partakers  with  thieves  :  there  shall 
not  be  seen  in  the  congregations  of  Israel  a  thievish 
people ;  that  your  sons  may  not  arise  after  you  to  teach 
one  another  to  have  part  with  thieves :  for  on  account 
of  the  guilt  of  theft  famine  cometh  forth  upon  the 
world. 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  Ye  shall  not  testify  against 
your  neighbours  a  testimony  of  falsehood,  nor  be  com¬ 
panions  or  partakers  with  those  who  bear  false  witness  : 
nor  shall  there  be  seen  in  the  congregations  of  Israel  a 
people  who  testify  a  testimony  of  falsehood;  neither 
shall  your  sons  arise  after  you  to  teach  one  another  to 
have  part  with  those  who  testify  falsehood  :  for  because 
of  the  guilt  of  false  testimony  the  clouds  go  up  and  the 
rain  cometh  not  down,  and  dryness  cometh  upon  the 
world. 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  Ye  shall  not  be  covetous, 
nor  companions  or  partakers  with  the  covetous  :  nor  shall 
there  be  seen  in  the  congregations  of  Israel  a  covetous 
people ;  that  your  sons  may  not  arise  after  you  to  teach 
one  another  to  have  part  with  the  covetous :  neither 
shall  any  among  you  covet  the  wife  of  his  neighbour, 
nor  his  servant,  nor  his  handmaid,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his 
ass,  nor  anything  that  belongeth  to  his  neighbour  : 
because  through  the  guilt  of  covetousness  the  govern¬ 
ment  breaketh  in  upon  the  possessions  of  men  to  take 
them,  and  the  wealthy  are  made  poor,  and  slavery 
cometh  upon  the  world. 

And  all  the  people  saw  the  thunders,  and  were  turned 
back,  every  one  as  he  heard  them  coming  forth  from  the 
midst  of  the  lights,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  as  it 
will  raise  the  dead,  and  the  mountain  smoking;  and  all 
the  people  saw  and  drew  back,  and  stood  twelve  miles 
off.  And  they  said  to  Mosheh,  Speak  thou  with  us, 
and  we  can  hear ;  but  let  it  not  be  spoken  with  us  any 
z  5 


514 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


CHAP. 


more  from  before  the  Lord,  lest  we  die.  [Jerusalem. 
And  all  the  people  saw  the  thunders  and  the  lights,  and 
the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain  smoking ; 
and  the  people  saw  and  trembled,  and  stood  afar  off.] 
And  Mosheh  said  to  the  people,  Fear  not ;  for  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  is  revealed  to  try  you,  whether  His 
fear  is  before  your  faces,  that  ye  may  not  sin.  And  the 
people  stood  twelve  miles  off ;  but  Mosheh  drew  near  to 
the  height  of  the  darkness  where  was  the  glory  of  the 
Lord.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Speak  thus  to 
the  sons  of  Israel :  Yoh  have  seen  that  from  the  heavens 
I  have  spoken  with  you ;  sons  of  Israel,  My  people,  you 
shall  not  make,  that  you  may  worship,  the  likeness  of 
the  sun,  or  the  moon,  or  the  stars,  or  the  planets,  or 
the  angels  who  minister  before  Me ;  idols  of  silver,  nor 
idols  of  gold,  ye  shall  not  make  to  you.  An  altar  of  earthye 
shall  make  to  My  Name,  and  sacrifice  upon  it  thy  burnt 
offerings  and  thy  sanctified  oblations  from  thy  sheep  and 
from  thy  oxen.  And  in  every  place  where  My  Shekinah 
shall  dwell,  and  thou  worship  before  Me,  there  will  I  send 
My  blessing  upon  thee,  and  will  bless  thee.  But  if  thou 
wilt  make  an  altar  of  stones  unto  My  Name,  thou  shalt 
not  build  them  sculptured ;  for  if  thou  lift  up  iron, 
from  which  the  sword  is  made,  upon  the  stone,  thou  wilt 
profane  it.  And  you,  the  priests,  who  stand  to  minister 
before  Me,  shall  not  ascend  to  My  altar  by  steps,  but 
by  (sloping)  bridges ;  that  thy  shame  may  not  be  seen 
thereupon.  [Jerusalem.  An  altar  grounded  in  the 
earth  shalt  thou  make  unto  My  name,  and  shalt  offer 
upon  it  your  burnt  offerings  and  sacred  oblations,  your 
sheep  and  your  oxen.  In  every  place  in  which  ye  shall 
memorialize  My  holy  Name,  My  Word  shall  be  revealed 
to  you,  and  bless  you.  But  if  you  make  an  altar  of 
stones  unto  My  Name,  you  shall  not  build  it  with 
sculptured  ones,  because  the  sword  is  made  of  iron.  If 


ON  EXODUS. 


515 


XXI.] 

thou  workest  with  iron  upon  it,  thou  wilt  profane  it. 
You  also,  the  priests,  the  sons  of  Aharon,  who  stand 
and  minister  beside  Mine  altar,  shall  not  ascend  by  steps 
unto  Mine  altar,  lest  your  shame  be  disclosed  upon  it.] 


SECTION  XVIII. 

MISHPATIM. 

XXI.  And  these  are  the  orders  of  judgments  which 
thou  shalt  order  before  them.  If  thou  shalt  have 
bought  a  son  of  Israel,  on  account  of  his  theft,  six 
years  he  shall  serve,  and  at  the  incoming  of  the  seventh 
he  shall  go  out  free  without  price.  If  he  came  in  alone, 
he  shall  go  out  alone :  but  if  (he  be)  the  husband  of  a 
wife,  a  daughter  of  Israel,  his  wife  shall  go  out  with 
him.  If  his  master  give  him  a  wife,  an  handmaid,  and 
she  bear  him  sons  or  daughters,  the  wife  and  her 
children  shall  belong  to  his  master,  and  he  may  go  out 
alone.  But  if  the  servant  shall  affirm  and  say,  I  love 
my  master,  my  wife,  and  my  children,  (and)  I  will  not 
go  out  free,  then  his  master  shall  bring  him  before  the 
judges,  and  shall  receive  from  them  the  power,  and 
bring  him  to  the  door  that  hath  posts;  and  his 
master  shall  pierce  his  right  ear  with  an  awl ;  and  he 
shall  be  a  servant  to  serve  him  until  the  jubela.  And 
if  a  man  of  Israel  sell  his  daughter,  a  little  handmaid, 
she  shall  not  go  forth  according  to  the  going  forth  of 
the  servants  of  the  Kenaanaee,  who  are  set  at  liberty 
on  account  of  the  tooth  or  the  eye ;  but  in  the  years  of 
remission,  and  with  tokens,  and  at  the  jubela,  and  on 
the  death  of  her  master,  and  by  redemption  with  money. 


516  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

If  she  hath  not  found  favour  before  her  master  who 
bought  her,  then  her  father  may  redeem  her ;  but  to  a 
foreigner  he  shall  not  have  power  to  sell  her ;  for  as  a 
vessel  of  her  Lord  he  hath  power  over  her.  And  if  he 
had  intended  her  for  the  side  of  his  son,  he  shall  do  by 
her  after  the  manner  of  the  daughters  of  Israel.  If  he 
take  another  daughter  of  Israel  to  him  beside  her,  her 
food,  her  adorning,  and  her  conjugal  rights,  he  shall  not 
withhold  from  her.  [Jerusalem.  And  if  he  take 
another  wife  beside  her,  of  her  food,  her  adorning,  and 
her  going  in  and  coming  out  with  him,  he  shall  not 
deprive  her.]  And  if  these  three  things  he  doth  not 
for  her,  to  covenant  her  to  himself,  or  to  his  son,  or  to 
release  her  into  the  hand  of  her  father,  she  shall  go  free 
without  payment,  and  a  writing  of  release  he  shall  give 
her. 

Whosoever  smiteth  a  son  or  a  daughter  of  Israel,  so 
as  to  cause  death,  shall  be  put  to  death  with  the  sword. 
But  he  who  did  not  attack  him,  but  mischance  from 
before  the  Lord  befell  him  at  his  hand,  I  will  appoint 
thee  a  place  wrhere  he  may  flee.  But  if  a  man  come 
maliciously  upon  his  neighbour  to  kill  him  with  craft, 
— though  the  priests  are  ministering  at  My  altar,  thence 
thou  shalt  take  him,  and  slay  him  with  the  sword. 
[Jerusalem.  But  if  a  man  deviseth  against  his  neigh¬ 
bour  to  kill  him  by  guile, — though  the  high  priest  were 
standing  to  minister  before  Me,  from  thence  thou  shalt 
bring  him,  and  put  him  to  death.]  And  he  who 

woundeth  his  father  or  his  mother  shall  die  by 

strangling.8  And  he  who  stealeth  a  soul  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  selleth  him,  or  if  he  be  found  in  his 
possession,  shall  die  by  strangling.  And  he  who 

curseth  his  father  or  his  mother  by  the  Great  Name,* 

8  Lit.,  “  by  suffocation  with  the  towel.” 

9  Or,  “by  the  Name  of  Manifestation j”  the  Shern  Hamepliorash. 


ON  EXODUS. 


517 


XXI.] 

dying  he  shall  die  by  being  stoned  with  stones.  And 
when  men  strive  together,  and  one  smite  his  neighbour 
with  a  stone,  or  with  his  fist,  so  that  he  die  not,  but 
fall  ill,  if  he  rise  again  from  his  illness,  and  walk  in  the 
street  upon  his  staff,  he  who  smote  him  shall  be  acquitted 
from  the  penalty  of  death ;  only  for  his  cessation  from 
labour,  his  affliction,  his  injury,  his  disgrace,  and  the 
hire  of  the  physician,  he  shall  make  good  until  he  be 
cured.  And  when  a  man  hath  smitten  his  Kenaanite 
man-servant  or  maid-servant  with  a  staff,  and  he  die  the 
same  day  under  his  hand,  he  shall  be  judged  with  the 
judgment  of  death  by  the  sword.  But  if  the  wounded 
person  continue  one  or  two  days  from  time  to  time,  he 
shall  not  be  (so)  judged ;  because  with  money  he  had 
bought  him.  If  men  when  striving  strike  a  woman 
with  child,  and  cause  her  to  miscarry,  but  not  to  lose 
her  life,  the  fine  on  account  of  the  infant  which  the 
husband  of  the  woman  shall  lay  upon  him,  he  shall  pay 
according  to  the  sentence  of  the  judges.  But  if  death 
befall  her,  then  thou  shalt  judge  the  life  of  the  killer 
for  the  life  of  the  woman.  The  value  of  an  eye  for  an 
eye,  the  value  of  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  the  value  of  a  hand 
for  a  hand,  the  value  of  a  foot  for  a  foot,  an  equivalent 
of  the  pain  of  burning  for  burning,  and  of  wounding 
for  wounding,  and  of  blow  for  blow.  And  when  a  man 
strikes  the  eye  of  his  Kenaanite  servant  or  handmaid, 
and  causeth  blindness,  he  shall  let  him  go  free,  on 
account  of  the  eye.  And  if  he  strike  out  the  tooth  of 
his  Kenaanite  man  or  maid-servant,  he  shall  make  the 
servant  free  on  account  of  the  tooth. 

And  if  an  ox  goreth  a  man  or  woman  to  cause  death, 
the  ox  must  be  stoned,  but  shall  not  be  killed  that  his 
flesh  may  be  eaten ;  and  the  owner  of  the  ox  shall  be 
exempt  from  the  condemnation  of  death,  and  also  from 
the  price  of  the  servant  or  handmaid.  But  if  the  ox 


518  TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

(had  been  wont)  to  gore  yesterday  and  before,  and  it  had 
been  attested  before  his  owner  three  times,  and  be  (had 
neglected)  to  restrain  him,  the  ox,  when  he  killeth  man 
or  woman,  shall  be  stoned,  and  his  master  also  shall  die 
with  a  death  sent  upon  him  from  heaven.  Yet  if  a  fine 
of  money  be  laid  upon  him,  he  may  give  a  ransom  for 
his  life,  according  to  what  shall  be  imposed  on  him  by 
the  sanhedrin  of  Israel.  Whether  the  ox  hath  gored  a 
son  or  a  daughter  of  Israel,  according  to  that  judgment 
it  shall  be  done  to  him.  If  an  ox  goreth  a  Kenaanite 
man-servant  or  handmaid,  the  master  of  the  man  or 
woman-servant  shall  give  thirty  sileen1  of  silver,  and 
the  ox  shall  be  stoned.  And  if  a  man  openeth  a  pit  in 
the  street,  and  doth  not  cover  it,  and  an  ox  or  an  ass 
fall  therein ;  the  master  of  the  pit  shall  deliver  silver  to 
give  to  its  owner  the  price  of  the  ox  or  the  ass,  and  the 
dead  body  shall  be  his.  And  when  an  ox  woundeth  his 
neighbour's  ox,  and  he  die,  they  shall  sell  the  living  ox, 
and  divide  the  price,  and  the  price  of  the  dead  one  shall 
they  also  divide.  But  if  it  hath  been  known  that  the 
ox  was  wont  to  gore  in  time  past,  and  his  master  did 
not  restrain  him,  he  shall  surely  deliver  ox  for  ox;  but 
the  carcase  and  the  skin  shall  be  his. ,  When  a  man 
stealeth  an  ox  or  a  sheep,  and  killeth  or  selleth  it,  five 
oxen  shall  he  make  good  for  one  ox,  because  he  hath 
hindered  him  from  his  ploughing ;  and  four  sheep  for 
one,  because  he  hath  impoverished  him  by  his  theft,  and 
not  done  service  by  it. 

XXII.  If  a  thief  be  found  in  a  window  of  the  wall, 
and  be  smitten  and  die,  there  shall  not  be  on  his  account 
the  guilt  of  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood.  If  the 
thing  be  as  clear  as  the  sun  that  he  was  not  entering  to 
destroy  life,  and  one  hath  killed  him,  the  guilt  of  the 
shedding  of  innocent  blood  is  upon  him  ;  and  if  spared 
1  Shekels. 


ON  EXODUS. 


519 


XXII.] 


from  his  hand,  restoring  he  shall  restore.  If  he  have 
not  wherewith  to  restore,  the  beth  din  shall  sell  him  for 
his  theft  until  the  year  of  release.  If  before  witnesses 
the  thing  stolen  was  found  in  his  possession,  from  an 
ox  or  an  ass,  unto  a  sheep  alive,  he  shall  restore  two  for 
one.  If  a  man  break  in  upon  a  field  or  a  vineyard,  and 
send  in  his  beast  to  feed  in  another  man's  field,  the 
best  of  his  field  and  the  best  of  his  vineyard  he  shall 
restore.  If  fire  break  out,  and  catch  thorns,  and  con¬ 
sume  the  sheaves,  or  whatever  is  standing,  or  the  field, 
whoever  kindled  the  fire  shall  surely  restore. 

When  a  man  confideth  to  his  neighbour  silver,  or 
vessels  to  keep,  without  recompense  for  the  care,  and 
they  be  stolen  from  the  man's  house,  if  the  thief  be 
found,  he  shall  restore  two  for  one.  If  the  thief  be  not 
found,  the  master  of  the  house  shall  be  brought  before 
the  judges,  and  shall  swear  that  he  hath  not  put  forth 
his  own  hand  upon  the  property  of  his  neighbour. 
And  about  whatever  is  injured  covertly,  whether  ox,  or 
ass,  or  sheep,  or  raiment,  of  whatever  is  (so)  lost,  he 
shall  make  oath  when  he  saith  that  so  it  is;  and  ,when 
the  thing  stolen  shall  be  afterward  found  in  the  hand  of 
the  thief,  the  cause  of  both  shall  be  brought  before  the 
judges,  the  cause  of  the  householder  and  the  cause  of 
the  thief ;  and  wrhom  the  judges  shall  condemn,  the 
thief  shall  restore  twofold  to  his  neighbour.  If  a  man 
deliver  to  his  neighbour  an  ox,  or  a  sheep,  or  any 
animal  to  keep,  (if)  he  is  to  keep  it  without  recompense, 
and  it  die,  or  be  torn  by  wild  beast,  or  be  carried  off, 
and  no  witness  seeing  who  can  testify  it ;  an  oath  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  between  them  both,  that  he  hath  not 
put  forth  his  hand  upon  the  property  of  his  neighbour ; 
and  the  owner  of  the  thing  shall  accept  his  oath,  and  he 
shall  not  (be  required  to)  make  it  good.  But  if  it  be 
stolen  from  him  who  was  to  receive  recompense  for  the 


520  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

care,  lie  shall  make  it  good  to  its  owner.  If  it  hath 
been  torn  by  a  wild  beast,  let  him  bring  witnesses,  or 
bring  him  to  the  carcase  :  because  for  that  which  is  (so) 
torn  he  shall  not  make  restitution.  [Jerusalem.  12. 
If  it  hath  been  really  killed,  he  shall  bring  of  its 
members,  as  a  testimony,  and  for  that  which  is  killed 
he  shall  not  make  restitution.]  And  if  a  man  borrow 
anything  of  his  neighbour,  and  the  vessel  be  broken,  or 
the  animal  die,  and  the  owner  be  not  with  it,  he  shall 
certainly  make  it  good.  If  the  owner  be  with  it,  he 
shall  not  make  it  good  :  if  it  had  been  lent  for  profit, 
its  loss  came  on  account  of  its  hire. 

If  a  man  seduce  a  virgin  unbetrothed,  and  have  cri¬ 
minal  conduct  with  her,  endowing,  he  shall  endow  her 
to  be  his  wife.  [Jerusalem.  15.  If  a  man  seduce  a 
virgin,  unbetrothed,  and  have  criminal  conduct  with 
her,  endowing,  he  shall  endow  her  to  be  a  wife.]  If 
this  doth  not  appear  to  him  (to  be  desirable),  or  if  her 
father  be  not  willing  to  give  her  to  him,  fifty  sileen  of 
silver  shall  be  laid  upon  him,  according  to  the  endow¬ 
ment  of  a  virgin.  Sons  of  My  people  Israel,  whoso¬ 
ever  practiseth  witchcraft  you  shall  not  suffer  to  live. 
Whosoever  lieth  with  a  beast  shall  be  stoned  to  death. 
Whosoever  sacrificeth  to  the  idols  of  the  Gentiles  shall 
be  slain  with  the  sword,  and  his  goods  be  destroyed ; 
for  ye  shall  worship  only  the  Name  of  the  Lord.  And 
the  stranger  you  shall  not  vex  with  words,  nor 
distress  him  by  taking  his  goods  :  Remember,  sons 
of  Israel,  My  people,  that  you  were  strangers  in 
the  land  of  Mizraim.  You  shall  not  impoverish 
the  widow  or  the  orphan.  If  thou  impoverish  her, 
beware ;  for  if  they  rise  up  and  cry  against  you  in 
prayer  before  Me,  I  will  hear  the  voice  of  their 
prayer,  and  will  avenge  them,  and  My  anger  will 
be  kindled,  and  I  will  slay  you  with  the  sword,  and 


XXIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  521 

your  wives  shall  be  widows,  and  your  children  be 
orphans. 

If  thou  lend  money  to  (one  of)  My  people,  to  (one 
of)  the  humble  of  My  people,  thou  shalt  not  be  to  him 
as  an  usurer,  neither  lay  it  upon  him  that  there  shall  be 
witnesses  against  him,  or  that  he  give  pledges,  or 
equivalents,  or  usury.  [Jerusalem.  24.  If  thou  lend 
money  to  My  people,  to  the  poor  of  your  people,  you 
shall  not  be  to  him  an  oppressive  creditor,  or  lay  upon 
him  either  equivalents  or  usury.]  If  thou  take  (at  all) 
for  a  pledge  the  garment  of  thy  neighbour,  thou  shalt 
restore  it  to  him  before  sunset ;  for  it  may  be  his  taleth 
which  alone  covereth  him;  (or)  it  is  his  only  garment 
in  which  he  rests,  which  falleth  upon  his  skin ;  and  if 
thou  take  the  coverlet  of  the  bed  whereon  he  lies,  and 
he  be  heard  before  Me,  I  will  hearken  to  his  prayer; 
for  I  am  Eloah  the  Merciful. 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  ye  shall  not  revile  your 
judges,  nor  curse  the  rabbans  who  are  appointed  rulers 
among  thy  people.  The  firsts 2  of  thy  fruits,  and  the 
firsts  of  thy  wine-press,  thou  shalt  not  delay  to  bring 
up  in  their  time  to  the  place  of  My  habitation.  The 
firstlings  of  thy  males  thou  shalt  separate  before  Me. 
So  shalt  thou  do  with  the  firstlings  of  thy  oxen  and 
sheep ;  seven  days  it  shall  be  suckled  by  its  mother, 
and  on  the  eighth  day  thou  shalt  separate  it  before  Me. 
And  holy  men,  tasting  unconsecrated  things  innocently, 
shall  you  be  before  Me ;  but  flesh  torn  by  wild  beasts 
alive  you  may  not  eat,  but  throw  it  to  the  dog  as  his 
portion. 

XXIII.  Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  take  not  up  lying 
words  from  a  man  who  accuseth  his  neighbour  before 
thee,  nor  put  thine  hand  with  the  wicked  to  become  a 
false  witness.  Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  you  shall  not 

2  Bekurey. 


522  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

go  after  the  many  to  do  evil,  but  to  do  good ;  and  no 
one  among  you  shall  restrain  himself  from  affirming 
justly  concerning  his  neighbour  in  the  judgment,  by 
saying,  Behold,  the  judgment  sides  with  the  many. 
[Jerusalem.  Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  you  shall  not 
go  after  the  multitude  to  do  evil,  but  to  do  good ;  and 
no  one  of  you  shall  restrain  himself  from  setting  forth 
the  just  cause  of  his  neighbour  in  the  judgment,  nor 
say  in  your  heart,  The  judgment  sides  with  the  many.] 
And  to  the  poor  man  who  is  guilty  in  his  cause,  thou 
shalt  not  be  partial  in  having  compassion  upon  him ; 
for  there  must  not  be  respect  of  persons  in  judgment. 
If  thou  meet  the  ox  of  thine  enemy  whom  thou  dis- 
likest  on  account  of  the  wickedness  which  thou  only 
knowest  is  in  him,  or  an  ass  that  wandereth  from  the 
way,  thou  shalt  surely  bring  it  to  him.  If  thou  seest 
the  ass  of  thy  enemy  whom  thou  dislikest  on  account  of 
the  wickedness  which  thou  only  knowest  to  be  in  him, 
lying  under  his  burden,  and  thou  wouldst  refrain  thy¬ 
self  from  going  near  him,  thou  shalt  relinquish  at  once 
the  dislike  of  thy  heart  against  (thy  enemy),  and  release 
and  take  care  of  the  ass  (or,  charge  thyself  with  him). 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  ye  shall  not  warp  the 
judgment  of  the  poor  in  his  cause.  From  a  false  matter 
keep  distant.  And  when  one  hath  gone  forth  from  thy 
house  of  justice  acquitted,  and  they  (afterwards)  find 
out  his  guilt;  or  one  hath  been  brought  out  con¬ 
demned,  and  they  (afterward)  find  out  his  innocence, — 
thou  shalt  not  put  him  to  death ;  for  I  will  not  hold  (the 
former)  innocent,  nor  the  latter  guilty.  And  thou 
mayest  not  receive  a  bribe ;  for  a  bribe  blindeth  their 
eyes  who  have  taken  it,  and  casteth  down  the  wise  from 
their  seats,  and  perverteth  the  right  words  which  are 
written  in  the  law,  and  confoundeth  the  words  that  are 
in  the  mouth  of  the  innocent  in  the  hour  of  judgment. 


XXIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  523 

Thou  shalt  not  oppress  the  stranger ;  for  ye  know  the 
sigh  of  a  stranger's  soul;  because  ye  were  sojourners 
in  the  land  of  Mizraim. 

Six  years  thou  shalt  sow  thy  land,  and  gather  the 
produce;  but  the  seventh  year  thou  shalt  exempt  it 
from  labour,  and  give  up  the  fruit  of  it  to  be  eaten  by 
the  poor  of  My  people ;  and  what  they  leave  shall  be 
eaten  by  the  beasts  of  the  field.  And  in  like  manner 
shalt  thou  do  with  thy  vine  and  olive  grounds.  Six 
days  do  thy  work,  and  on  the  seventh  day  repose,  that 
thy  ox  and  thy  ass  may  rest,  and  that  the  uncircumcised 
son  of  thy  handmaid,  and  the  stranger,  may  rest.  And 
of  all  the  precepts  that  I  have  spoken  to  you,  be  care¬ 
ful  ;  and  the  names  of  the  idols  of  the  Gentiles  remember 
not,  nor  let  them  be  heard  upon  your  lips. 

Three  times  in  the  year  thou  shalt  keep  festival 
before  Me.  The  feast  of  unleavened  cakes  thou  shalt 
keep.  Seven  days  thou  art  to  eat  unleavened  bread,  as 
I  have  instructed  thee,  in  the  time  of  the  month  of 
Abiba,  because  in  it  thou  earnest  forth  from  Mizraim ; 
and  you  shall  not  appear  before  Me  empty.  And  the 
feast  of  the  harvest  first-fruits  of  the  work  thou  didst 
sow  in  the  field ;  and  the  feast  of  gathering,  at  the 
end  of  the  year,  when  thou  hast  gathered  in  thy  work 
from  the  field.  Three  times  in  the  year  shall  all  thy 
males  appear  before  the  Lord  the  Ruler  of  the  world. 

Sons  of  Israel  My  people,  while  there  is  leaven  in 
your  houses  you  may  not  immolate  the  bloody  sacrifice 
of  My  Pascha;  nor  shall  the  fat  of  the  sacrifice  of  My 
Pascha  remain  without  the  altar  until  morning,  nor  of 
the  flesh  that  you  eat  in  the  evening.  The  first  of  the 
choice  fruits  of  thy  ground  thou  shalt  bring  to  the 
sanctuary  of  the  Lord  thy  God.  My  people  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  you  are  not  permitted  to  dress  or  to 
eat  of  flesh  and  milk  mingled  together,  lest  I  be  greatly 


524 


TARGTJM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


displeased  ;  and  I  prepare  you  the  wheat  and  the  straw 
together  for  your  food. 

Behold,  I  will  send  an  Angel  before  thee,  to  keep 
thee  in  the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  in  to  the  place  of 
My  habitation  which  I  have  prepared.  Be  circumspect 
before  Him,  and  obey  His  word,  and  be  not  rebellious 
against  His  words ;  for  He  will  not  forgive  your  sins, 
because  His  word  is  in  My  Name.  For  if  thou  wilt 
indeed  hearken  to  His  word,  and  do  all  that  I  speak  by 
Him,  I  will  be  the  enemy  of  thy  enemy,  and  will  trouble 
them  who  trouble  thee.  For  My  Angel  shall  go  before 
thee,  and  bring  thee  to  the  Amoraee,  and  PherizaeeJ 
and  Kenaanaee,  Hivaee,  and  Jebusaee;  and  I  will  destroy' 
them.  Thou  shalt  not  worship  their  idols,  nor  serve 
them,  nor  do  after  their  evil  works ;  but  thou  shalt 
utterly  demolish  the  house  of  their  worship,  and  break 
the  statues  of  their  images.  And  you  shall  do  service 
before  the  Lord  your  God,  and  He  will  bless  the  pro¬ 
vision  of  thy  food  and  thy  drinks,  and  remove  the  bitter 
plague  from  among  thee.  None  shall  be  abortive  or 
barren  in  thy  land ;  the  number  of  the  days  of  thy  life 
I  will  fulfil  from  day  to  day.  My  terror  will  I  send 
before  thee,  and  will  perturb  all  the  peoples  to  whom 
thou  comest,  that  thou  mayest  wage  battle  against  them ; 
and  I  will  make  all  thy  enemies  turn  back  before  thee. 
And  I  will  send  the  hornet  before  thee  to  drive  out  the 
Hivaee,  and  Kenaanaee,  and  Hitaee,  from  before  thee. 

I  will  not  expel  them  before  thee  in  one  year,  lest  the  land 
become  a  wilderness,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  multiply 
upon  thee,  when  they  come  to  eat  their  carcasses,  and 
injure  thee.  By  little  and  little  I  will  drive  them  out 
before  thee,  until  thou  art  increased,  and  inherit  the 
land.  And  I  will  set  thy  boundary  from  the  sea  of 
Suph,  to  the  sea  of  the  Philistaee,  and  from  the  desert 
unto  the  Pherat ;  for  I  will  deliver  into  your  hand  all 


ON  EXODUS. 


525 


:xiy.] 


lie  inhabitants  of  the  land,  and  thou  shalt  drive  them 
>ut  from  before  thee.  Thou  shalt  make  no  covenant 
vith  them,  nor  with  their  idols.  Thou  shalt  not  let 
hem  dwell  in  thy  land,  lest  they  cause  thee  to  err,  and 
o  sin  before  Me,  when  thou  dost  worship  their  idols ; 
or  they  will  be  a  stumbling-block  to  thee. 

XXIV.  And  Michael,  the  Prince  of  Wisdom,  said 
o  Mosheh  on  the  seventh  day  of  the  month,  Come  up 
>efore  the  Lord,  thou  and  Aharon,  Nadab  and  Abihu, 
md  seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  worship  at  a 
listance.  And  Mosheh  alone  shall  approach  before  the 
!.ord;  but  they  shall  not  draw  nigh,  nor  may  the 
leople  come  up  with  him. 

And  Mosheh  came  and  set  before  the  people  all  the 
vords  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  judgments.  And  all  the 
)eople  answered  with  one  voice,  and  said,  All  that  the 
.jord  hath  spoken  we  will  do.  And  Mosheh  wrote  the 
vords  of  the  Lord,  and  arose  in  the  morning  and 
milded  an  altar  at  the  lower  part  of  the  mountain ; 
nd  twelve  pillars  for  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  And 
Le  sent  the  firstborn  of  the  sons  of  Israel, — for  until 
hat  hour  had  the  firstborn  had  the  (office  of  perform- 
ag)  worship,  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance  not  (as  yet) 
ieing  made,  nor  the  priesthood  given  unto  Aharon ; 
nd  they  offered  burnt  offerings  and  consecrated  obla- 
ions  of  oxen  before  the  Lord.  And  Mosheh  took  half 
f  the  blood  of  the  offering,  and  put  it  in  basins,  and 
alf  of  the  blood  of  the  offering  he  sprinkled  upon  the 
ltar.  And  he  took  the  Book  of  the  Covenant  of  the 
jaw,  and  read  before  the  people ;  and  they  said,  All  the 
rords  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  perform  and 
bey.  And  Mosheh  took  half  of  the  blood  which  was  in 
le  basins,  and  sprinkled  upon  the  altar,  to  expiate  the 
eople,  and  said,  Behold,  this  is  the  blood  of  the  Covenant 
hich  the  Lord  hath  made  with  you  upon  all  these  words. 


526  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP.' 

And  Mosheh  and  Aharon,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  and 
seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  went  up.  And  Nadab 
and  Abihu  lifted  up  their  eyes,  and  saw  the  glory  of  the 
God  of  Israel;  and  under  the  footstool  of  His  feet 
which  was  placed  beneath  His  throne,  was  like  the  work 
of  sapphire  stone — a  memorial  of  the  servitude  with 
which  the  Mizraee  had  made  the  children  of  Israel  to 
serve  in  clay  and  bricks,  (what  time)  there  were  women 
treading  clay  with  their  husbands ;  the  delicate  young 
woman  with  child  was  also  there,  and  made  abortive  by 
being  beaten  down  with  the  clay.  And  thereof  did 
Gabriel,  descending,  make  brick,  and,  going  up  to  the 
heavens  on  high,  set  it,  a  footstool  under  the  cathedra 
of  the  Lord  of  the  world,  whose  splendour  was  as  the 
work  of  a  precious  stone,  and  as  the  power  of  the 
beauty  of  the  heavens  when  they  are  clear  from  clouds. 
[Jerusalem.  The  footstool  of  His  feet  as  the  work  of 
pure  sapphire  stones,  and  as  the  aspect  of  the  heavens 
when  they  are  cleared  from  clouds.] 

But  upon  Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  comely  young  men, 
was  the  stroke  not  sent  in  that  hour,  but  it  awaited 
them  on  the  eighth  day  for  a  retribution  to  destroy 
them ;  but  they  saw  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the 
Lord,  and  rejoiced  that  their  oblations  were  received 
with  favour,  and  so  did  eat  and  drink. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Ascend  before  Me  at 
the  mount,  and  I  will  there  give  thee  the  tables  of 
stone  on  which  I  have  set  forth  the  rest  of  the  words  of 
the  Law,  and  the  six  hundred  and  thirteen  precepts  \ 
which  I  have  written  for  their  instruction.  And 
Mosheh  arose  and  Jehoshua  his  minister ;  and  Mosheh 
went  up  to  the  mountain  on  which  was  revealed  the 
glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord.  And  to  the  sages 
he  had  said,  Expect  us  here,  at  the  time  of  our  return 
to  you;  and,  behold,  Aharon  and  Hur  are  with  you;  if 


ON  EXODUS. 


527 


XXV.] 

there  be  any  matter  of  judgment,  bring  it  to  them. 
And  Mosheh  went  up  into  the  mount,  and  the  Cloud  of 
Glory  covered  the  mount.  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord's 
Shekinab  abode  upon  the  mountain  of  Sinai,  and  the 
Cloud  of  Glory  covered  it  six  days.  And  on  the 
seventh  day  He  called  to  Mosheh  from  the  midst  of  the 
Cloud.  And  the  appearance  of  the  splendour  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  was  as  burning  fire  with  flashes  of 
devouring  fire ;  and  the  sons  of  Israel  beheld  and  were 
awe-struck.  And  Mosheh  entered  into  the  midst  of  the 
Cloud,  and  ascended  the  mountain ;  and  Mosheh  was 
upon  the  mountain  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  learning 
the  words  of  the  Law  from  the  mouth  of  the  Holy  One, 
whose  Name  be  praised. 


SECTION^XIX. 

TERUMAH. 

XXV.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying, 
Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  shall  set 
apart  (take)  before  me  a  Separation  :  of  every  one  whose 
heart  is  willing,  but  not  by  constraint,  ye  shall  take  my 
separation.  And  this  is  the  separation  which  you  shall 
take  of  them :  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass ;  and 
hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen ;  and 
goats'  skins,  and  skins  of  rams  dyed  red,  and  purpled 
skins,  and  woods  of  sittin,  and  olive  oil  for  the  light, 
and  aromatics  for  the  confection  of  the  pure  anointing 
oil,  and  of  the  fragrant  incense ;  gems  of  beryl  that  are 
gems  of  perfection,  for  engraving  and  insertion  in  the 
ephoda  and  in  the  breastplate. 


528 


TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  they  shall  make  a  Sanctuary  to  My  Name,  that 
My  Shekinah  may  dwell  among  them.  According  to 
all  that  I  show  thee,  the  likeness  of  the  tabernacle  and 
the  likeness  of  all  its  vessels,  so  shalt  thou  make.  And 
they  shall  make  an  ark  of  sitta  wood ;  two  cubits  and 
a  half  its  length,  a  cubit  and  a  half  its  breadth,  and  a 
cubit  and  a  half  its  height.  And  thou  shalt  cover  it 
with  pure  gold  within  and  without,  and.  shalt  make 
upon  it  a  crown  of  gold  round  about.  [Jerusalem. 
A  coronal  of  gold  shall  surround  it.]  And  thou  shalt 
cast  for  it  four  rings  of  gold,  and  set  them  upon  its  four 
corners;  two  rings  for  one  side,  and  two  rings  for  the 
second  side.  And  thou  shalt  make  staves  of  sitta 
wood,  and  cover  them  with  gold ;  and  thou  shalt  intro-] 
duce  the  staves  into  the  rings  on  the  sides  of  the  arkJ 
that  the  ark  may  be  carried  upon  them.  The  staves 
shall  be  inlaid  in  the  rings  of  the  ark,  and  not  be 
removed  from  it.  And  thou  shalt  put  within  the  ark 
the  Testament  that  I  will  give  thee. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  ( kaphortha )  mercy-seat  of 
pure  gold;  two  cubits  and  a  half  the  length,  and  a 
cubit  and  a  half  the  breadth,  and  its  depth  shall  be  a 
handbreadth  {pus/ieka).  And  thou  shalt  make  two 
kerubin,  ol  pure  beaten  gold  shalt  thou  make  them  on 
the  two  sides  of  the  mercy-seat.  Thou  shalt  make  one 
keruba  on  this  side,  and  one  keruba  on  that  side  of  the 
mercy-seat ;  you  shall  make  the  kerubaia  on  its  two 
sides.  And  the  kerubaia  sliall  stretch  forth  their  wings 
above,  their  heads  over  against  each  other,  their  wings 
overshadowing  the  mercy-seat,  and  their  faces  over 
against  each  other ;  towards  the  mercy-seat  shall  be  the 
faces  of  the  kerubaia.  And  thou  shalt  put  the  mercy- 
seat  above  upon  the  ark,  and  within  the  ark  thou  shalt 
lay  the  Tables  of  the  Testament  that  I  will  give  thee. 
And  I  will  appoint  My  Word  with  thee  there,  and  will 


ON  EXODUS. 


529 


XXV.  J 

speak  with  thee  from  above  the  mercy-seat,  between  the 
two  kerubaia  that  are  over  the  ark  of  the  testament,  con¬ 
cerning  all  that  T  may  command  thee  for  the  sons  of  Israel. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Table  of  sitta  wood ;  two 
cubits  its  length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  and  a  cubit 
and  a  half  its  height.  And  thou  '  shalt  overlay  it  with 
pure  gold,  and  make  for  it  a  rim  of  gold  round  about. 
And  thou  shalt  make  to  it  a  border,  a  handbreadth 
high  round  about,  and  make  a  golden  wreath  for  its 
border  round  about.  [Jerusalem.  A  border  of  a  span 
surrounding.]  And  thou  shalt  make  for  it  four  golden 
rings,  and  set  the  rings  in  its  four  corners  which 
are  at  its  four  feet.  Over  against  the  border  shall  the 
rings  be,  for  the  place  of  the  staves,  to  carry  the  table. 
And  thou  shalt  make  its  dishes  and  its  spoons,  its 
tankards  and  its  measures,  which  are  for  the  service  of 
libation;  of  pure  gold  shalt  thou  make  them.  And 
upon  the  table  thou  shalt  set  in  order  the  interior  bread 
before  Me  continually. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Candelabrum  ;  of  pure  beaten 
gold  shalt  thou  make  the  candelabrum;  its  base  and 
shaft,  its  cups  and  apples  and  lilies,  shall  be  of  the 
same.  Six  branches  shall  spread  out  from  its  sides; 
three  branches  of  the  candelabrum  from  one  side,  and 
three  branches  of  the  candelabrum  on  the  second  side. 
Three  calyxes  adorned  with  their  figurations  on  one 
branch,  with  apple  and  lily^  and  three  calyxes  adorned 
with  their  figurations  on  the  other  branch,  with  apple 
and  lily  :  so  for  the  six  branches  that  spread  out  from 
the  candelabrum.  And  upon  the  candelabrum  there 
shall  be  four  calyxes  adorned  with  their  figurations, 
their  apples  and  lilies.  And  there  shall  be  an  apple 
under  two  branches  of  it,  and  an  apple  under  two 
branches  of  it,  and  an  apple  under  two  branches  of  it, 
for  the  six  branches  which  extend  from  the  cande- 
a  a 


530  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

labrum.  Their  apples  and  their  branches  shall  be  of 
the  same ;  all  of  it  one  beaten  work  of  pure  gold. 
And  thou  shalt  make  its  seven  lights,  and  the  priest 
who  ministers  shall  kindle  the  lights,  that  they  may 
shine  over  upon  its  face.  And  its  snuffers  and  its 
shovels  of  pure  gold.  Of  a  talent  of  pure  gold  shall 
he  make  it  and  all  these  its  vessels.  And  look  thou, 
and  make  according  to  their  forms  which  thou  hast 
seen  in  the  mount. 

XXVI.  And  the  Tabernacle  thou  shalt  make  with  ten 
curtains  of  fine  linen  twined,  and  hyacinth,  and  purple, 
and  crimson,  with  figures  of  kerubin ;  with  the  work  of 
the  artificer  shalt  thou  make  them.  The  length  of  one 
curtain  twenty  and  eight  cubits,  and  the  breadth  of  one 
curtain  four  cubits ;  the  measure  of  one  shall  be  that  of 
all  the  curtains.  Five  curtains  shall  be  coupled  one 
with  another,  and  five  other  curtains  coupled  one  with 
another.  And  thou  shalt  make  loops  of  hyacinth  upon 
the  edge  of  one  curtain  at  the  side  in  the  place  of 
coupling,  and  so  shalt  thou  do  in  the  edge  of  the  second 
curtain  in  the  place  of  conjoinment.  Fifty  loops  shalt 
thou  make  in  one  curtain,  and  fifty  loops  shalt  thou 
make  in  the  side  of  the  second  curtain  in  the  place  of 
conjoinment,  so  that  the  loops  may  answer  one  to  the 
other.  And  thou  shalt  make  fifty  taches  of  gold,  and 
couple  the  curtains  one  with  another  with  the  taches, 
and  the  Tabernacle  shall  be  conjoined  to  be  one. 

And  thou  shalt  make  curtains  of  goats*  hair  to  extend 
over  the  tabernacle  :  twelve  curtains  thou  shalt  make 
them.  The  length  of  one  curtain  thirty  cubits,  and  the 
breadth  of  one  curtain  four  cubits ;  and  the  measure  of 
one  (shall  be  that  of  each)  of  the  eleven  (other)  curtains. 
And  thou  shalt  conjoin  five  curtains  together,  corre¬ 
sponding  with  the  five  books  of  the  Law ;  and  six  cur¬ 
tains  together,  corresponding  with  the  six  orders  of  the 


XXVI.]  ON  EXODUS.  581 

Mishna ;  and  shalt  fold  the  sixth  curtain  over  the  front 
of  the  tabernacle.  And  thou  shalt  make  fifty  loops  upon 
the  edge  of  one  curtain  at  the  side  of  the  place  of 
coupling;  and  fifty  loops  in  the  edge  of  the  second 
curtain  at  the  place  of  coupling.  And  thou  shalt  make 
taches  of  brass,  fifty,  and  put  the  taches  into  the  loops, 
and  conjoin  the  tabernacle,  that  it  may  be  one. 

And  the  surplus  which  remaineth  of  the  curtains  of 
the  Tabernacle,  the  half  curtain  which  remaineth,  thou 
shalt  spread  over  the  hinder  part  of  the  Tabernacle. 
[Jerusalem.  And  the  surplus.]  And  the  cubit  here 
and  the  cubit  there,  of  that  which  remaineth  in  the 
curtains  of  the  tabernacle,  shall  hang  over  the  sides  of 
the  tabernacle  here  and  there,  to  cover  it.  And  thou 
shalt  make  a  covering  for  the  tabernacle  of  rams'  skins 
dyed  red,  and  a  covering  of  purple  skins  above.  And 
thou  shalt  make  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle  of  sittin 
woods ;  they  shall  stand  up,  after  the  manner  of  their 
plantation.  [Jerusalem.  Slabs.]  Ten  cubits  the  length 
of  the  board,  and  a  cubit  and  a  half  the  breadth  of  one 
board.  Two  tenons  to  one  board,  each  in  its  side 
answering  to  the  other:  so  shalt  thou  do  for  all  the 
boards  of  the  tabernacle.  And  thou  shalt  make  the 
boards  of  the  tabernacle,  twenty  boards  towards  the  wind 
on  the  south  side.  And  thou  shalt  make  forty  bases  of 
silver  [Jerusalem.  Bases  of  silver]  beneath  the  twenty 
boards;  two  bases  beneath  one  board  with  its  two 
;enons,  and  two  bases  under  the  other  board  with  its 
;wo  tenons.  And  for  the  second  side  of  the  tabernacle 
owards  the  north  wind  twenty  boards,  and  their  forty 
jases  of  silver;  two  bases  under  one,  and  two  bases 
mder  the  other  board.  And  for  the  side  of  the  tabernacle 
vestward  thou  shalt  make  six  boards.  And  two  boards 
halt  thou  make  at  the  corners  of  the  tabernacle  at  their 
nds.  And  they  shall  be  conjoined  beneath,  and  in  one 
2  a  2 


532  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [ciIAP. 

manner  shall  be  conjoined  at  their  heads,  with  one  ring;  so 
shall  it  be  with  them  both;  for  the  two  corners  shall  they 
be.  And  there  shall  be  eight  boards  and  their  silver 
bases ;  sixteen  bases  ;  two  bases  under  one  board,  and  two 
bases  under  another  board.  And  thou  shalt  make  bars 
of  sittin  woods,  five  for  the  boards  of  one  side  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  second 
side  of  the  tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  side  of  the 
tabernacle  at  their  extremity  towards  the  west.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  side  of  the 
tabernacle  stretching  to  the  west.]  And  the  middle  bar 
in  the  midst  of  the  boards  passing  from  end  to  end 
shall  be  from  the  tree  which  Abraham  planted  in  Beara 
of  Sheba:  for  when  Israel  had  crossed  the  sea,  the 
angels  cut  down  the  tree  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  and  it 
floated  on  the  face  of  the  waters.  And  an  angel  pro¬ 
claimed,  and  said,  This  is  the  tree  which  Abraham  planted 
in  Beara  of  Sheba,  and  prayed  there  in  the  name  of  the 
Word  of  the  Lord.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  shall  take 
and  make  thereof  the  middle  bar,  seventy  cubits  in 
length,  and  with  it  shall  wondrous  things  be  done :  for 
when  they  have  reared  up  the  tabernacle,  it  shall  go 
round  it  like  a  serpent  among  the  boards  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle;  and  when  they  take  it  down,  it  shall  become 
straight  as  a  rod.  And  the  boards  thou  shalt  overlay 
with  gold,  and  make  of  gold  their  rings  for  the  place  of 
the  bars,  and  shalt  overlay  the  bars  with  gold.  And 
thou  shalt  rear  the  tabernacle  according  to  the  manner 
showed  thee  in  the  mountain. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  Veil  of  hyacinth,  and  purple, 
and  crimson,  and  fine  linen  entwined ;  the  work  of  the 
artificer  shalt .  thou  make  it,  with  figures  of  kerubin. 
And  thou  shalt  range  it  upon  four  pillars  of  sitta,  covered 
with  gold,  their  hooks  of  gold,  upon  four  bases  of  silver. 
[Jerusalem.  And  their  hooks  of  gold.]  And  thou 


ON  EXODUS. 


533 


XXVII.] 


shalt  place  the  veil  under  the  taches,  and  bring  in  thither 
within  the  veil  the  ark  of  the  testament :  and  thou  shalt 
spread  the  veil  for  you  between  the  Holy  and  the  Holy 
of  Holies.  And  thou  shalt  place  the  mercy  seat  with 
the  kerubaia  produced  of  beaten  work  for  it  in  the  Holy 
of  Holies. 

And  thou  shalt  set  the  Table  outside  of  the  veil,  and 
the  Candelabrum  over  against  the  table  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  tabernacle  ;  but  the  table  thou  shalt  arrange 
on  the  northern  side.  And  thou  shalt  make  a  curtain  for 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  of  hyacinth,  purple,  and  crim¬ 
son,  and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work  of  the  embroiderer. 
And  thou  shalt  make  for  the  curtain  five  pillars  of  sitta, 
and  cover  them  with  gold,  and  their  nails  shall  be  of 
gold  ;  and  thou  shalt  cast  for  them  five  bases  of  brass. 

XXYII.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  Altar  of  woods 
of  sitta;  five  cubits  the  length,  and  five  cubits  the 
breadth :  square  shall  be  the  altar,  and  its  height  three 
cubits.  And  thou  shalt  make  its  horns  upon  its  four 
corners :  the  horns  shall  be  of  it,  they  shall  rise  upward, 
and  thou  shalt  cover  it  with  brass.  And  thou  shalt 
make  its  pots  to  carry  away  its  ashes,  and  its  shovels, 
and  its  basins,  and  its  thuribles;  all  its  vessels  thou 
shalt  make  of  brass.  [Jerusalem.  And  thou  shalt 
make  its  pots  to  carry  its  ashes,  and  its  scoops  and 
basins,  and  its  fleshhooks,  and  its  thuribles;  all 
its  vessels  thou  shalt  make  of  brass.]  And  thou 
shalt  make  for  it  a  grate  of  network  of  brass,  and  upon 
the  network  four  brass  rings  upon  its  four  corners. 
[Jerusalem.  A  grate.]  And  thou  shalt  place  it  under 
the  surroundings  of  the  altar,  beneath,  that  the  network 
may  be  to  the  middle  of  the  altar,  that,  if  any  fragment 
or  fiery  coal  fall  from  the  altar,  it  may  fall  upon  the  grate, 
and  not  touch  the  ground,  and  that  the  priests  may  • 
take  it  from  the  grate,  and  replace  it  upon  the  altar. 


534  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  thou  shalt  make  staves  of  sittin  woods,  and  overlay 
them  with  brass  ;  and  thou  shalt  place  the  staves  within 
the  rings,  and  the  staves  shall  be  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
altar  in  carrying  the  altar,  hollow :  (with)  boards  filled 
with  dust  shalt  thou  make  it;  according  to  what  I 
showed  thee  in  the  mountain,  so  shall  they  make. 

And  thou  shalt  make  the  Court  of  the  tabernacle. 
For  the  southern  side  shall  be  hangings  of  fine  linen 
twined;  a  hundred  cubits  the  length  for  one  side. 
[Jerusalem.  Hangings.]  And  its  pillars  twenty,  and 
their  foundations  twenty,  of  brass ;  the  hooks  of  the 
pillars,  and  their  rods,  of  silver.  And  so  for  the  northern 
side,  for  length,  the  hangings  a  hundred  (cubits)  long, 
and  their  pillars  twenty,  and  their  foundations  twenty,  of 
brass ;  the  hooks  of  the  pillars,  and  their  rods,  of  silver. 
And  for  the  breadth  of  the  court  on  the  western  side, 
the  hangings  shall  be  fifty  cubits ;  their  columns  ten, 
and  their  foundations  ten.  And  for  the  breadth  of  the 
eastern  side  eastward  fifty  cubits ;  and  fifteen  cubits  the 
hangings  of  the  side,  their  pillars  three  and  their 
foundations  three.  And  for  the  door  of  the  court  shall 
be  a  veil  of  ten  cubits  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  fine  linen  twined,  of  embroidered  work ;  their 
pillars  four,  and  their  foundations  four.  All  the  pillars 
of  the  court  round  about  shall  be  united  with  silver 
rods ;  their  hooks  of  silver,  and  their  foundations  of 
brass.  The  length  of  the  court  one  hundred  cubits,  and 
the  breadth  fifty  on  the  west  and  fifty  on  the  east,  and 
the  height  five  cubits,  of  fine  linen  twined,  and  their 
foundations  of  brass.  All  the  vessels  of  the  tabernacle 
in  all  its  service,  and  all  the  pins  of  the  court  around,  of 
brass. 


XXVIII.] 


ON  EXODUS. 


535 


SECTION  XX. 

TETSAWEH. 

And  thou  shalt  instruct  the  sons  of  Israel  to  bring 
the  pure  olive  oil,  beaten,  for  illumination,  that  the 
lamps  may  burn  continually.  In  the  tabernacle  of  the 
covenant,  without  the  veil  that  is  before  the  testimony, 
Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  set  it  in  order  from  evening 
until  morning  before  the  Lord,  an  everlasting  statute  to 
your  generations  of  the  house  of  Israel. 

XXVIII.  And  thou,  bring  near  to  thee  Aharon  thy 
brother,  and  his  sons  with  him,  from  among  the  sons  of 
Israel,  to  minister  before  Me :  Aharon,  Nadab,  and 
Abihu,  Elazar  and  Ithamar,  the  sons  of  Aharon.  And 
thou  shalt  make  garments  of  holiness  for  Aharon  thy 
brother,  for  glory  and  for  praise.  And  thou  shalt 
speak  with  all  who  are  wise  of  heart,  and  whom  I  have 
filled  with  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  that  they  make  the 
vestments  of  Aharon  to  consecrate  him  to  minister 
before  Me.  And  these  are  the  vestments  they  shall 
make :  the  breastplate  and  ephoda,  and  the  robe,  and 
the  embroidered  tunics,  the  mitres  and  girdles ;  and 
they  shall  make  the  holy  garments  for  Aharon  thy 
brother,  and  for  his  sons,  to  minister  before  Me. 
And  they  shall  take  from  their  treasures  gold,  and 
hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen.  And 
they  shall  make  the  ephod  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  fine  linen,  twined,  the  work  of  the  arti¬ 
ficer.  Two  shoulder  (pieces)  shall  it  have,  conjoined  to 
its  two  sides,  and  (so)  it  shall  be  united.  And  the 
ornamented  girdle  which  is  to  be  upon  it  shall  be  of 
the  same  work ;  of  gold,  hyacinth,  purple,  and  crimson, 
and  fine  twined  linen,  shall  it  be.  And  thou  shalt  take 


536  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [cHAP. 

two  gems  of  onyx,  and  engrave  upon  them  the  names  of 
the  sons  of  Israel.  Six  of  their  names  shall  be  engraven 
upon  one  gem,  and  the  six  remaining  names  upon  the 
second  gem ;  they  shall  be  set  in  the  order  of  their 
nativity.  The  engraved  gems  shall  be  the  work  of  the 
artificer,  engraven,  and  the  engraving  be  distinct  as  the 
engraving  of  a  ring;  thou  slialt  engrave  the  two  gems 
according  to  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel  in  their 
work  round  about ;  inset  in  gold  shalt  thou  make  them. 
And  thou  shalt  fix  the  two  gems  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  epliod,  to  be  set  for  a  memorial  of  righteousness  for 
the  sons  of  Israel ;  and  Aharon  shall  bear  the  names 
of  the  sons  of  Israel  upon  his  two  shoulders  for  a  memo¬ 
rial.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  sockets  of  gold.  And 
two  chains  of  pure  gold,  measured  shalt  thou  make 
them,  of  twisted  work,  and  insert  the  twisted  chains  in 
the  sockets.  [Jerusalem.  Chains.] 

And  thou  shalt  make  the  Breastplate  of  Judgment, 
by  which  are  made  known  the  judgments  that  are  hidden 
from  the  judges ;  and  the  order  of  the  victories  of  their 
battles,  and  amends  that  are  made  for  the  judges ;  the 
work  of  the  artificer ;  as  the  work  of  the  ephod,  thou  shalt 
make  it ;  of  gold,  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and 
fine  linen  twined,  thou  shalt  make  it.  Square  shall  it 
be,  doubled ;  a  span  its  length,  and  a  span  its  breadth. 
[Jerusalem.  A  handsbreadth.]  And  thou  shalt  fill 
it  with  a  fulness  of  precious  stones  :  four  rows  of  pre¬ 
cious  gems,  answering  to  the  four  regions  of  the  wrorld. 
The  first  row,  carnelian,  topaz,  carbuncle ;  and  on  them 
shall  be  engraven  and  expressed  the  names  of  the  tribes 
Reuben,  Shemeon,  and  Levi.  [Jerusalem.  And  thou 
shalt  fill  it  with  a  filling  of  stones,  four  rows  of  precious 
stone;  the  first  row,  carnelian,  and  topaz,  and  car¬ 
buncle  ;  written  with  expression  upon  it  (shall  be)  the 
name  of  the  three  tribes,  Reuben,  Shemeon,  Levi.] 


ON  EXODUS. 


537 


XXVIII.] 

And  the  name  of  the  second  row,  smaragd,  and  sap¬ 
phire,  and  chalcedony  ;  and  upon  them  shall  be 
engraven  and  expressed  the  names  of  the  three  tribes, 
Jehudah,  Dan,  and  JNaphtali.  And  the  name  of  the 
third  row,  ligure,  and  agate,  and  amethyst ;  and  upon 
them  shall  be  written  and  expressed  the  names  of  three 
tribes,  Gad,  and  Asher,  and  Issakar.  And  the  name  of 
the  fourth  row,  chrysolite,  onyx,  and  jasper ;  and  upon 
them  shall  be  written  and  expressed  the  names  of  three 
tribes,  Zebulon,  Joseph,  and  Benjamin.  Set  in  gold 
shall  they  be,  in  their  completeness.  [Jerusalem. 
And  the  second  row,  carbuncle,  and  sapphire,  and 
amethyst ;  in  writing  expressed  upon  them,  the  name  of 
the  three  tribes,  Jehudah,  Issakar,  and  Zebulon.  And 
the  third  row,  ligure,  and  beryl,  and  smaragd ;  written 
expressly  upon  them  (shall  be)  the  name  of  the  three 
tribes,  Dan,  Naphtali,  and  Gad.  And  the  fourth  row, 
chrysolite,  bdellium,  and  margelite.*  Written  expressly 
upon  them  shall  be  the  name  of  the  three  tribes,  Asher, 

3  The  three  Chaldee  Targums  vary  in  the  translation  of  the  names  of 
these  gems.  For  the  convenience  of  the  student  I  will  set  them  down 
in  one  view. 

Hebrew  Text.  1.  Odem,  pitedah,  hareketh.  2.  Nophek,  sapphir, 
yahalon.  3.  Leshem,  sheho,  achlamah.  4.  Tarshish,  shoham, 
yashepheh. 

Onkelos.  1.  Samkan,  jarkan,  or  jarktha,  barkan.  2.  Izmargadin, 
schabziz,  sibhalom.  3.  Kankire,  tarkaja,  ain-igla.  4.  Kerum-yama, 
burella,  pantire. 

Jonathan.  1.  Simuktha,  yarketha,  barketha.  2.  Izmorad,  saphi- 
rinon,  kadekodin.  3.  Kankerinun,  arekin,  ain-egel.  4.  Kerum-yama- 
rabba,  birlevath-chala,  margenith-apantirin. 

Jerusalem.  1.  Samketha,  yarketha,  barketha.  2.  Kadkedana, 
simphuryana,  ein-igla.  3.  Zozin,  berulin,  zemargedin.  4.  Kerum 
yama,  bedolcha,  margalitha.  We  cannot  render  some  of  these  by  the 
names  of  stones  with  which  we  are  familiar  with  absolute  certainty. 
Much  curious  matter  on  this  chapter  may  be  found  in,  “Die  TJrim  und 
Thummim,  die  dltesten  Gemmen.  Von  J.  J.  Belle  rmann  ”  Berlin 
1824. 


2  A  5 


538  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Joseph,  and  Benjamin :  socketed  in  gold  shall  they  be 
in  their  completeness.]  And  the  jewels  shall  be  taken 
according  to  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  twelve  are 
they  according  to  their  names,  engraven  and  set  forth 
as  the  engraving  of  a  ring;  the  gem  of  each  man 
according  to  his  name ;  (so)  shall  they  be  for  the  twelve 
tribes. 

And  thou  shalt  make  upon  the  breastplate  measured 
chains  of  twisted  work  of  pure  gold,  and  shalt  make  upon 
the  breastplate  two  rings  of  pure  gold,  and  put  the  two 
rings  upon  the  two  sides  of  the  breastplate.  And  thou 
shalt  put  the  two  golden  chains  upon  the  two  rings  in  the 
sides  of  the  breastplate,  and  the  two  chains  which  are 
upon  the  two  sides  thou  shalt  put  upon  the  two  sockets, 
and  set  on  the  shoulders  of  the  ephod  against  its  front. 
And  thou  shalt  make  two  golden  rings,  and  fix  them 
upon  the  two  sides  of  the  breastplate,  in  the  border  of 
it  which  is  on  the  edge  of  the  ephod  inwardly.  And 
thou  shalt  make  (likewise)  two  golden  chains,  and  fix 
them  upon  the  two  shoulders  of  the  ephod  beneath, 
towards  its  front,  towards  the  place  of  its  conjoinment 
above  the  girdle  of  the  ephod ;  and  they  shall  unite  the 
breastplate  with  its  rings  to  the  rings  of  the  ephod,  with 
twined  ribbon,  of  hyacinth,  to  be  joined  upon  the  girdle 
of  the  ephod,  that  the  breastplate  may  not  be  removed 
from  the  ephod.  And  Aharon  shall  bear  the  names  of 
the  sons  of  Israel  upon  his  heart  what  time  he  entereth 
into  the  sanctuary  for  a  good  memorial  before  the  Lord 
continually. 

And  thou  shalt  put  upon  the  breastplate  of  judgment 
the  Uraia,  which  illuminate  their  words,  and  manifest 
the  hidden  things  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  the 
Tumaia,  which  fulfil  (or  perfect)  their  work  to  the  high 
priest,  who  seeketh  instruction  by  them  before  the 
Lord ;  because  in  them  is  engraven  and  expressed  the 


XXVIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  539 

Great  and  Holy  Name  by  which  were  created  the  three 
hundred  and  ten  worlds,  and  which  was  engraven  and 
expressed  in  the  foundation  stone  wherewith  the  Lord 
of  the  world  sealed  up  the  mouth  of  the  great  deep  at 
the  beginning.  Whosoever  remembereth  that  holy 
name  in  the  hour  of  necessity  shall  be  delivered.  And 
they  shall  be  upon  Aharon’s  heart  in  the  time  that  he 
entereth  before  the  Lord :  and  Aharon  shall  bear  the 
judgment  of  the  sons  of  Israel  before  the  Lord  con¬ 
tinually. 

And  thou  shalt  make  the  mantle-robe  ( mintar  meila) 
of  the  ephod,  of  twined  thread  of  hyacinth;  and  an 
orifice  shall  be  in  the  middle  of  its  upper  part ;  a  border 
shall  be  upon  its  opening  round  about  its  orifice,  the 
work  of  the  sewer ;  as  the  orifice  of  a  coat  of  mail  it 
shall  be,  that  it  may  not  be  rent.  [Jerusalem.  And 
an  orifice  shall  be  in  the  middle  of  its  head ;  a  border 
shall  surround  the  orifice,  the  work  of  the  sewer;  like 
the  opening  of  a  coat  of  mail  shall  it  be,  that  it  be  not 
torn.]  And  thou  shalt  make  upon  the  hem  of  it  pome¬ 
granates  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  upon  its 
hem,  round  about,  and  bells  of  gold  among  them  round 
about.  A  golden  bell,  and  a  pomegranate  of  hyacinth 
and  crimson ;  a  golden  bell,  and  a  pomegranate  of  hya¬ 
cinth  and  crimson  upon  the  border  of  the  robe  round 
about ;  their  number,  seventy  and  one.  And  it  shall 
be  a  vestment  upon  Aharon  to  minister,  and  its  voice 
shall  be  heard  at  the  time  that  he  hath  entered  the  holy 
place  before  the  Lord,  and  at  the  time  that  he  cometh 
out,  that  he  die  not  by  the  flaming  fire. 

And  thou  shalt  make  a  plate  (or  crown)  of  pure  gold, 
and  engrave  upon  it  with  distinct  engraving,  HOLI¬ 
NESS  TO  THE  LOED.  And  thou  shalt  put  it  on  a 
twined  ribbon  of  hyacinth,  to  make  amends  for  boldness 
of  face ;  and  it  shall  be  on  the  mitre  above  the  tephillin 


540  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

of  the  head,  in  front  of  the  mitre  shall  it  be.  And  it 
shall  be  in  the  front  of  Aharon's  forehead,  from  time  to 
time  as  it  comes ;  and  Aharon  shall  bear  the  iniquity  of 
the  consecrated  things  which  the  sons  of  Israel  may 
consecrate ;  even  of  all  their  sacred  gifts  in  which  they 
have  been  insincere.  And  it  shall  be  upon  the  front 
continually,  for  their  reconciliation  before  the  Lord. 
And  thou  shalt  weave  the  tunic  of  fine  linen  to  expiate 
for  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood ;  and  shalt  make  the 
tiara  of  fine  linen  to  expiate  for  the  pride  of  their 
thoughts ;  and  the  girdle  shalt  thou  make  of  the  work  of 
the  embroiderer.  And  for  the  sons  of  Aharon  thou 
shalt  make  tunics,  and  girdles,  and  mitres,  for  glory 
and  for  praise.  And  with  them  thou  shalt  invest 
Aharon  thy  brother,  and  his  sons  with  him,  and  anoint 
them,  that  they  may  offer  their  oblations ;  and  sanctify 
them  to  minister  before  Me.  And  thou  shalt  make  for 
them  under-garments  of  fine  linen  to  cover  the  flesh  of 
their  shame ;  from  the  girt  of  the  girdle  of  their  loins 
unto  their  thighs  they  shall  be.  [Jerusalem.  Drawers 
of  fine  linen.]  And  they  shall  be  upon  Aharon  and 
upon  his  sons  at  the  time  when  they  enter  the  taber¬ 
nacle  of  testimony,  or  when  they  approach  the  altar  to 
minister  in  the  sanctuary,  that  they  may  not  receive  the 
punishment  of  flaming  fire.  This  is  an  'everlasting 
statute  for  him  and  for  his  sons  after  him. 

XXIX.  And  this  is  the  thing  that  thou  shalt  do  to 
them  to  sanctify  them,  that  they  may  serve  before  Me. 
Take  one  bullock,  the  young  of  a  bullock,  without  spot ; 
and  two  rams,  unblemished  (perfect) ;  and  unleavened 
bread,  and  unleavened  cakes,  mingled  with  olive  oil ; 
and  wafers  of  unleavened  bread  anointed  with  olive  oil, 
and  with  flour  of  wheat  shalt  thou  make  them.  And 
thou  shalt  put  them  upon  one  basket,  and  oiler  them  iu 
the  basket,  and  the  bullock  and  the  two  rams  they  shall 


ON  EXODUS. 


541 


XXIX.] 


bring  in  a  vehicle.  And  Aharon  and  his  two  sons  thou 
shalt  bring  near  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  testi¬ 
mony,  and  wash  them,  in  four  measures  of  living  water. 
And  thou  shalt  take  the  vestments,  and  clothe  Aharon 
with  the  tunic,  and  the  robe  of  the  epliod,  and  the 
ephod,  and  the  breastplate,  and  gird  him  (or  ordain 
|  him)  with  the  girdle  of  the  ephod.  And  thou  shalt  set 
the  mitre  on  his  head,  and  put  the  diadem  upon  which 
I  is  engraven  the  Kame  of  Holiness  upon  the  mitre. 
And  thou  shalt  take  the  anointing  oil,  and  pour  it  upon 
his  head  and  anoint  him.  And  thou  shalt  bring  his 
sons  near,  and  dress  them  in  the  tunics,  and  indue 
(ordain)  them  with  the  girdles,  Aharon  and  his  sons, 
and  wrap  on  them  the  mitres ;  and  the  priesthood  shall 
be  theirs  by  an  everlasting  statute. 

And  thou  shalt  offer  the  oblation  of  Aharon,  and  the 
oblation  of  his  sons.  And  thou  shalt  bring  the  bullock 
before  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  Aharon  and  his 
sons  shall  lay  their  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  bullock, 
and  thou  shalt  kill  the  bullock  before  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance ;  and  take  of  the  blood  of  the 
bullock,  and  put  (it)  on  the  horns  of  the  altar  with  thy 
finger,  and  all  the  (remaining)  blood  thou  shalt  pour 
out  at  the  foot  of  the  altar.  Aud  thou  shalt  take  all 
the  fat  that  covereth  the  inwards,  and  what  remaineth 
upon  the  caul  of  the  liver,  and  the  two  kidneys,  and  the 
fat  which  is  upon  them,  and  set  them  in  order  upon  the 
altar.  And  the  flesh  of  the  bullock,  and  his  skin,  and 
his  dung,  thou  shalt  burn  with  fire  without  the  camp ; 
it  is  a  sin  offering.  And  the  one  ram  thou  shalt  take, 
and  Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  lay  their  hands  on  the 
head  of  the  ram.  And  thou  shalt  kill  the  ram,  and 
take  his  blood  and  sprinkle  on  the  altar  round  about. 
And  the  ram  shalt  thou  divide  according  to  his  mem¬ 
bers  (dividings),  and  wash  his  inwards  and  his  legs,  and 


542  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

set  them  in  order  upon  his  members,  and  upon  his 
head.  [Jerusalem.  And  the  ram  thou  shalt  divide 
according  to  his  divisions,  and  shalt  cleanse  his  inwards 
and  his  legs,  and  lay  them  upon  his  divided  parts,  and 
upon  his  head.]  And  thou  shalt  offer  the  whole  ram 
upon  the  altar,  it  is  a  holocaust  before  the  Lord  to  be 
accepted  with  favour,  an  oblation  it  is  before  the  Lord. 
And  thou  shalt  take  the  second  ram,  and  Aharon  and 
his  sons  shall  lay  their  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  ram. 
And  thou  shalt  kill  the  ram,  and  take  of  his  blood,  and 
put  upon  the  tip 4  of  Aharon's  right  ear,  and  upon  the 
tip 4  of  the  right  ear  of  his  sons,  and  upon  the  thumb  of 
their  right  hands,  and  upon  the  toe  of  their  right  feet, 
and  pour  the  rest  of  the  blood  upon  the  altar  round 
about. 

And  thou  shalt  take  of  the  blood  which  is  upon  the 
altar,  and  of  the  anointing  oil,  and  drop  it  upon  Aharon, 
and  upon  his  vestments,  and  on  his  sons,  and  on  his 
sons'  vestments  with  him.  And  thou  shalt  take  of  the 
ram,  the  fat  and  the  tail,  and  the  fat  that  covereth 
the  inwards,  and  which  remaineth  upon  the  caul  of  the 
liver,  and  the  two  kidneys,  and  the  fat  that  is  upon 
them,  and  the  right  shoulder,  for  it  is  the  ram  of  the 
oblation ;  and  one  round  of  bread,  and  one  cake  of 
bread  mingled  with  oil,  and  one  wafer  from  the  basket 
of  unleavened  bread  which  is  before  the  Lord ;  and  thou 
shalt  put  all  upon  the  hands  of  Aharon  and  upon  the 
hands  of  his  sons,  and  shalt  uplift  them  for  an  elevation 
before  the  Lord.  And  thou  shalt  take  them  from  their 
hands,  and  set  them  in  order  upon  the  altar  upon  the 
burnt  offering,  to  be  received  with  acceptance  before  the 
Lord :  it  is  an  oblation  before  the  Lord.  And  thou 
shalt  take  the  breast  of  the  ram  of  Aharon's  oblation, 
and  uplift  it,  an  elevation  before  the  Lord,  and  it  shall  be 
4  Lit.,  “  cartilage.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


543 


XXIX.] 

thy  portion.  [Jerusalem.  The  breast.]  And  thou 
shalt  consecrate  the  breast  of  the  elevation  and  the 
shoulder  of  the  separation,  which  have  been  uplifted  and 
separated  from  the  ram  of  the  oblation  from  the  hand  of 
Aharon  and  from  the  hand  of  his  sons.  And  it  shall  be 
for  Aharon  and  for  his  sons  by  a  perpetual  statute  for  the 
sons  of  Israel ;  because  it  is  a  separation,  and  a  separa¬ 
tion  it  shall  be  from  the  sons  of  Israel  from  the  offer¬ 
ings  of  their  consecration,  their  separation  before  the 
Lord.  And  the  holy  vestments  of  Aharon  shall  be  to 
his  sons  after  him,  to  be  anointed  in  them,  and  in  them 
to  offer  their  oblations.  Seven  days  shall  the  priest 
wear  them,  who  ariseth  after  him  from  his  sons,  but  not 
from  the  Levites,  at  the  time  when  he  entereth  into  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance  to  minister  in  the  sanctuary. 

And  thou  shalt  take  the  ram  of  the  oblation,  and  boil 
its  flesh  in  the  holy  place;  and  Aharon  and  his  sons 
shall  eat  the  flesh  of  the  ram,  and  the  bread  that  is  in 
the  basket  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance. 
And  they  shall  eat  those  things  by  which  atonement 
was  made  for  them  in  offering  their  oblations  to  sanctify 
them  to  minister  before  Me  :  but  the  profane  shall  not 
eat ;  for  they  are  holy.  And  if  any  of  the  flesh  of  the 
oblation  and  of  the  bread  remain  until  the  morning, 
thou  shalt  burn  that  which  remaineth  with  fire ;  it  shall 
not  be  eaten ;  for  it  is  sacred.  And  thus  thou  shalt  do  to 
Aharon  and  to  his  sons  according  to  all  that  I  have  pre¬ 
scribed  to  thee ;  seven  days  thou  shalt  offer  their  obla¬ 
tion.  And  a  bullock  for  a  sin  offering  thou  shalt  offer 
daily  for  atonement,  and  shalt  anoint  the  altar  in  offering 
the  atonement  upon  it ;  thou  shalt  anoint  it,  to  conse¬ 
crate  it.  Seven  days  make  thou  atonement  upon  the 
altar  to  consecrate  it ;  and  it  shall  be  the  altar  of  the 
Holy  of  Holies.  Every  one  of  the  sons  of  Aharon  who 
approacheth  to  the  altar  must  be  holy;  to  the  rest  of 


544  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  people  it  is  not  lawful  to  approach,  lest  they  be 
burned  with  the  fiery  flame  which  cometh  from  the  holy 
place. 

And  this  is  the  oblation  which  thou  shalt  perform 
upon  the  altar ;  two  lambs  of  one  year,  daily,  evermore. 
The  one  lamb  thou  shalt  perform  in  the  morning ;  and 
the  second  lamb  thou  shalt  perform  between  the  even¬ 
ings.  And  the  tenth  of  flour  mingled  with  oil  of  olives 
beaten;  (with)  the  fourth  of  a  hina,  and  the  libation  of 
a  fourth  of  a  hina  for  the  one  lamb.  And  the  second 
lamb  thou  shalt  perform  between  the  evenings :  it  shall 
be  as  the  mincha  of  the  morning,  and  as  the  libation 
thou  shalt  do  it,  to  be  received  with  acceptance,  an 
oblation  before  the  Lord  ;  a  perpetual  holocaust  for 
your  generations  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance  before  the  Lord ;  where  I  will  appoint  My 
Word  to  (meet)  thee  there,  to  speak  with  thee  there. 
And  there  I  will  appoint  My  Word  (to  meet)  with  the 
sons  of  Israel,  and  I  will  be  sanctified  in  their  rulers  for 
My  glory.  And  I  will  sanctify  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance  and  the  altar ;  and  Aharon  and  his  sons  will 
I  sanctify  to  minister  before  Me  :  and  My  Shekinah 
shall  dwell  in  the  midst  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  I  will 
be  their  God.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  shall  know  that  I 
am  their  God,  who  led  them  out  free  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim  to  make  My  Shekinah  dwell  among  them.  I 
am  the  Lord  their  God. 

XXX.  And  thou  shalt  make  an  altar  on  which  to 
burn  incense  of  perfumes  :  of  sitta  wood  shalt  thou  make 
it.  A  cubit  its  length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth ;  four¬ 
square  shall  it  be :  and  two  cubits  its  height :  and 
its  upright  horns  shall  be  of  it.  And  thou  shalt  overlay 
it  with  pure  gold,  its  top,  and  its  wrall  round  about, 
and  its  horns ;  and  make  for  it  a  border  of  gold  round 
about.  And  two  golden  rings  make  thou  for  it  beneath 


ON  EXODUS. 


545 


XXX.] 

its  border  at  the  two  corners,  thou  shalt  make  upon  its 
two  sides,  to  be  the  place  for  the  staves  by  which  it 
may  be  carried.  And  thou  shalt  make  the  staves  of 
sitta  wood,  and  cover  them  with  gold.  And  thou  shalt 
place  it  before  the  veil  which  is  over  the  ark  of  the  tes¬ 
timony,  before  the  mercy  seat  that  is  upon  the  testi¬ 
mony,  where  I  will  appoint  My  Word  to  be  with  thee. 
And  Aharon  shall  burn  sweet  incense  upon  it  from 
morning  to  morning :  when  he  ordereth  the  lamps,  he 
shall  burn  it.  And  when  Aharon  kindleth  the  lamps 
between  the  evenings,  he  shall  burn  sweet  incense  per¬ 
petually  before  the  Lord  in  your  generations.  Thou 
shalt  not  offer  thereon  the  sweet  incense  of  strange 
peoples,  nor  offer  upon  it  burnt  offerings,  or  minchas, 
nor  pour  libations.  And  Aharon  shall  expiate  upon  its 
horns  once  in  the  year  with  the  blood  of  the  sin  offering 
for  an  expiation  :  once  in  the  year  shall  he  make  atone¬ 
ment  upon  it  on  the  day  of  atonement  in  your  genera¬ 
tions  :  it  shall  be  most  holy  before  the  Lord. 


SECTION  XXI. 

KI  THISSA. 

And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mosheh,  saying,  When 
thou  takest  the  sum  of  the  sons  of  Israel  according  to 
their  number,  they  shall  give  every  man  the  ransom  of 
their  souls  before  the  Lord  when  thou  numberest  them ; 
that  there  may  not  be  among  them  the  calamity  of  death 
when  thou  dost  number  them.  [Jerusalem.  When 
thou  takest  the  head  of  the  number  of  the  sums  of  the 


546 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 

sons  of  Israel.]  This  valuation  was  shown  to  Mosheh  in 
the  mountain  as  with  a  denarius  of  fire,  and  thus  spake  He 
to  him :  So  shall  every  one  who  passeth  to  the  number- 
ment  give  a  half  shekel  of  the  coin  of  the  sanctuary : 
(a  half  shekel  is  twenty  manin  :)  the  half  shekel  is  to  be 
the  separation  before  the  Lord.  Every  one  who  passeth 
to  the  numbering,  from  a  son  of  twenty  years  and 
upwards,  shall  give  the  separation  before  the  Lord.  He 
who  is  rich  shall  not  add  to,  and  he  who  is  poor  shall  not 
diminish  from,  the  half  shekel  in  giving  the  separation 
before  the  Lord,  to  atone  for  your  souls.  And  thou 
shalt  take  the  silver  of  the  ransom  from  the  sons  of 
Israel,  and  apply  it  to  the  work  of  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance ;  that  it  may  be  for  the  sons  of  Israel  for  a 
good  memorial  before  the  Lord,  as  a  ransom  for  your 
souls. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  And  thou 
shalt  make  a  laver  of  brass,  and  its  foundation  of  brass, 
for  purification ;  and  shalt  set  it  between  the  tabernacle 
of  ordinance  and  the  altar,  and  put  water  therein.  And 
they  shall  take  from  it  for  a  cleansing  ablution.  And 
Aharon  and  his  sons  shall  sanctify  their  hands  and  their 
feet  with  its  water ;  at  the  time  of  their  entering  into 
the  tabernacle  of  ordinance  they  shall  sanctify  with 
water,  that  they  die  not  by  the  fiery  flame  :  and  it  shall 
be  to  them  an  everlasting  statute,  to  him  and  to  his  sons 
in  their  generations. 

And  the  Lord  spake  to  Mosheh,  saying,  And  thou 
also  take  to  thee  the  first  aromatics,  choice  myrrh,  in 
weight  five  hundred  minas,  and  sweet  cinnamon  of  half 
the  weight,  two  hundred  and  fifty  minas,  and  sweet  cala¬ 
mus  in  weight  two  hundred  and  fifty  minas,  and  cassia 
in  weight  five  hundred  minas  of  shekels,  in  the  shekel 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  olive  oil  a  vase  full,  in  weight 
twelve  logas,  a  loga  for  each  tribe  of  the  twelve  tribes. 


ON  EXODUS. 


547 


tfxx.] 


[Jerusalem.  And  thou  take  to  thee  the  chief  goodly 
spices,  choice  myrrh,  in  weight  five  hundred  minas  of 
shekels.]  And  thou  shalt  make  of  it  a  holy  anointing 
oil,  perfumed  with  perfume,  the  work  of  the  perfumer, 
of  compounded  perfumes  :  a  holy  anointing  oil  shall  it 
be.  And  with  it  anoint  thou  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance,  and  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  and  the  table  and 
all  its  vessels,  and  the  candelabrum  and  its  vessels,  and 
the  altar  of  sweet  incense,  and  the  altar  of  burnt  offering 
and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  laver  and  its  foundation,  and 
consecrate  them,  and  they  shall  be  most  holy.  Every 
one  of  the  priests  who  approacheth  to  them  shall  be  sanc¬ 
tified;  but  of  the  rest  of  the  tribes,  (whoever  toucheth 
them)  shall  be  consumed  by  the  fiery  flame  from  before 
the  Lord.  But  Aharon  and  his  sons  anoint  thou,  and 
consecrate  them  to  minister  before  Me.  And  speak 
thou  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  saying,  This  shall  be  a  holy 
anointing  oil  before  Me  unto  your  generations.  Upon 
the  flesh  of  man  it  may  not  be  poured,  and  the  like  of  it 
you  shall  not  make  to  resemble  it ;  unto  you  it  shall  be 
most  sacred.  The  man  who  compoundeth  the  like  of  it, 
or  putteth  it  upon  the  unconsecrated  who  are  not  of  the 
sons  of  Aharon,  shall  be  destroyed  from  his  people. 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Take  to  thee  spices, 
balsam,  and  onycha,  and  galbanum,  choice  spices,  and 
pure  frankincense,  weight  for  weight  shall  it  be.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  Balsam,  spikenard-myrrh,  and  galbanum.]  And 
confect  therewith  a  fragrant  incense,  the  work  of  the 
compounder,  a  pure  and  sacred  mixture.  [Jerusalem. 
Commixed.]  And  beat,  and  make  it  small,  and  of  it 
some  shalt  thou  put  before  the  testimony  in  the  taber¬ 
nacle  of  ordinance,  where  I  will  appoint  My  Word  to 
be  with  thee.  Most  sacred  shall  it  be  to  you.  And  of 
the  sweet  incense  thou  shalt  make,  the  like  shall  not  be 
made  among  you ;  it  shall  be  sacred  to  you  before  the 


548 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP* 

Lord :  the  man  who  maketh  the  like  of  it  to  smell 
thereto  shall  be  destroyed  from  his  people. 

XXXI.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying; 
Look,  Mosheh,  I  have  called  by  name  the  good  Bezalel1] 
bar  Uri  bar  Hur,  of  the  tribe  of  Jehudah,  and  have 
fulfilled  him  with  the  Spirit  of  holiness  from  before  the 
Lord,  in  wisdom  and  in  intelligence,  in  knowledge,  and 
in  all  workmanship;  to  think  in  their  thoughts  so  as  to 
work  (perfectly)  in  gold,  and  in  silver,  and  in  brass; 
and  in  the  cutting  of  jewels  for  their  insetting,  and  in 
the  carving  of  woods,  to  make  all  manner  of  work. 
[Jerusalem.  See,  Mosheh,  behold,  I  have  anointed  and 
called  by  a  good  name  Bezalel.]  And,  behold,  I  have 
appointed  with  him  Ahaliab  bar  Achisamah,  of  the 
tribe  of  Dan ;  and  in  the  heart  of  every  one  wise*, 
hearted  I  have  added  the  Spirit  of  wisdom,  that  they 
may  perform  all  whatever  I  have  commanded  thee. 
The  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  the  ark  of  the  testi¬ 
mony,  and  the  mercy  seat  which  is  over  it ;  and  all  the 
vessels  of  the  tabernacle;  and  the  table,  and  ail  its 
vessels ;  and  the  altar  of  sweet  incense,  and  the  altar 
of  burnt  offering,  and  all  its  vessels ;  and  the  laver,  and 
its  foot ;  and  the  vestments  for  ministration,  the  holy 
vestments  of  Aharon  the  priest,  and  the  vestments  of  his 
sons  for  ministry;  and  the  oil  of  anointing;  and  the 
sweet  incense-  for  the  sanctuary ;  even  all  whatever  I 
have  commanded  thee,  they  shall  make. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  Also,  speak 
thou  with  the  sons  .of  Israel,  saying,  Ye  shall  keep  the 
day  of  My  Sabbaths  indeed ;  for  it  is  a  sign  between 
My  Word  and  you,  that  you  may  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord  who  sanctify  you.  Ye  shall  keep  the  Sabbath, 
because  it  is  holy  to  you ;  whosoever  profaneth  it,  dying 
he  shall  die;  whoso  doeth  work  therein,  that  man  shall 
‘  Or,  "  I  have  called  by  a  good  name  Bezalel.” 


ON  EXODUS. 


549 


XXXII.] 

be  destroyed  from  his  people.  Six  days  ye  shall  do 
work ;  but  the  seventh  day  is  Sabbath,  the  holy  Sabbath 
before  the  Lord.  Whoso  doeth  work  upon  the  Sabbath, 
dying  he  shall  die,  by  the  casting  of  stones.  The  sons 
of  Israel  shall  therefore  keep  the  Sabbath,  to  perform 
the  delightful  exercises  of  the  Sabbath ;  (it  is)  for  your 
generations  an  everlasting  statute;  between  My  Word 
and  the  sons  of  Israel  it  is  a  sign  for  ever.  For  in  six 
days  the  Lord  created  and  perfected  the  heavens  and 
the  earth ;  and  in  the  seventh  day  He  rested  and  re¬ 
freshed. 

And  He  gave  to  Mosheh,  when  He  had  finished  to 
speak  with  him  in  Mount  Sinai,  the  two  tablets  of  the 
testimony,  tablets  of  sapphire-stone  from  the  throne  of 
glory,  weighing  forty  sein,  inscribed  by  the  finger  of  the 
Lord. 

XXXII.  But  the  people  saw  that  Mosheh  delayed  to 
come  down  from  the  mount,  and  the  people  gathered 
together  unto  Aharon,  when  they  saw  that  the  time  he 
had  appointed  to  them  had  passed ;  and  Satana  had 
come,  and  caused  them  to  err,  and  perverted  their  hearts 
with  pride.  And  they  said  to  him,  Arise,  make  us 
gods  that  shall  go  before  us ;  for  as  for  this  Mosheh,  the 
man  who  brought  us  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  he 
may  have  been  consumed  in  the  mountain  by  the  fire 
which  flameth  from  before  the  Lord,  (and)  we  know  not 
what  hath  befallen  him  in  his  end.  And  Aharon  said 
to  them,  Deliver  the  golden  rings  that  are  in  the  ears 
of  your  wives,  your  sons,  and  your  daughters,  and  bring 
them  to  me.  And  their  wives  denied  themselves  to  give 
their  ornaments  to  their  husbands ;  and  all  the  people 
at  once  delivered  up  the  golden  rings  which  were  in 
their  ears,  and  brought  them  to  Aharon.  And  he  took 
them  from  their  hands,  and  bound  them  in  a  wrapper, 
and  wrought  it  with  a  tool,  having  made  a  molten  calf ; 


550  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  he  said,  These,  Israel,  are  thy  gods,  which  brought 
thee  forth  from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  For  Aharon  had 
seen  Hur  slain  before  him,  and  was  afraid;  and  he 
builded  an  altar  before  him,  and  Aharon  cried  with  a 
doleful  voice,  and  said,  Let  there  be  a  feast  before  the 
Lord  to-morrow,  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  slain  of  these 
adversaries  who  have  denied  their  Lord,  and  have 
changed  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord  for  this 
calf.  [Jerusalem.  And  Aharon  saw  Hur  slain  before 
him,  and  was  afraid ;  and  he  builded  an  altar  before 
him,  and  Aharon  cried  and  said,  A  feast.]  And  on  the 
day  following,  they  arose,  and  sacrificed  burnt-offerings ; 
and  the  people  sat  around  to  eat  and  to  drink,  and  rose 
up  to  disport  themselves  with  strange  service.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  they  rose  up  to  disport  themselves  with 
strange  service.] 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Descend  from  the 
greatness  of  thine  honour ;  for  I  have  not  given  thee 
greatness  except  on  account  of  Israel.  But  now  thy 
people,  whom  thou  didst  bring  up  from  the  land  of 
Mizraim,  have  corrupted  their  works ;  quickly  have  they 
declined  from  the  way  which  I  taught  them  in  Sinai, 
(that)  ye  shall  not  make  to  yourselves  image,  or  figure, 
or  any  similitude ;  for  now  have  they  made  to  them  a 
molten  calf,  and  have  worshipped  it,  and  sacrificed  to  it, 
and  proclaimed  before  it,  These  are  thy  gods,  Israel, 
which  brought  thee  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim.  And 
the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  The  pride  of  this  people  is 
manifest  before  Me,  and,  behold,  it  is  a  people  of  hard 
neck.  And  now,  cease  from  thy  prayer,  and  cry  not 
for  them  before  Me ;  for  I  will  let  My  anger  burn  like 
strong  fire  against  them,  and  consume  them,  and  I  will 
make  thee  a  great  people. 

And  Mosheh  was  shaken  with  fear,  and  began  to 
pray  before  the  Lord  his  God ;  and  he  said,  Wherefore 


ON  EXODUS. 


551 


XXXII.] 

should  Thy  wrath,  0  Lord,  prevail  against  Thy  people, 
whom  Thou  didst  bring  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim, 
with  great  power  and  with  a  mighty  hand.  Why 
should  the  Mizraee  who  are  remaining  say,  It  was 
for  evil  that  He  led  them  out,  to  kill  them  among  the 
mountains  of  Tabor  and  Hermon,  and  Sirion  and  Sinai, 
and  to  destroy  them  from  the  face  of  the  earth  ?  Turn 
from  Thy  strong  anger,  and  let  there  be  relenting  before 
Thee  over  the  evil  that  Thou  hast  threatened  to  do  unto 
Thy  people.  Eemember  Abraham,  and  Izhak,  and 
Israel,  Thy  servants,  to  whom  Thou  didst  swear  in  Thy 
Word,  and  didst  say  to  them,  I  will  multiply  your 
children  as  the  stars  of  the  heavens,  and  all  this  land  of 
which  I  have  told  you  will  I  give  to  your  sons,  and 
they  shall  inherit  for  ever.  And  there  was  relenting 
before  the  Lord  over  the  evil  which  He  had  thought  to 
do  unto  His  people.  And  Mosheh  turned,  and  went 
down  from  the  mount,  and  the  two  tables  of  the  testi¬ 
mony  were  in  his  hands,  inscribed  on  their  two  sides, 
here  and  there  were  they  inscribed.  And  the  tables 
were  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  the  writing  was  the 
Lord's  writing,  inscribed  and  manifested  upon  the 
tables. 

And  Jehoshua  heard  the  voice  of  the  people  exulting 
with  joy  before  the  calf.  [Jerusalem.  Doing  evil.] 
And  he  said  to  Mosheh,  There  is  the  voice  of  battle  in 
the  camp.  But  he  said,  It  is  not  the  voice  of  the 
strong,  who  are  victorious  in  battle,  nor  the  voice  of  the 
weak,  who  are  overcome  by  their  adversaries  in  the 
fight ;  but  the  voice  of  them  who  serve  with  strange 
service,  and  who  make  merriment  before  it,  that  I  hear. 
[Jerusalem.  The  voice  of  them  who  praise  in  strange 
service.]  And  it  was  when  Mosheh  came  near  the 
camp,  and  saw  the  calf,  and  the  instruments  of  music 
in  the  hands  of  the  wicked,  who  were  dancing  and 


552 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


bowing  before  it,  and  Satana  among  them  dancing  and 
leaping  before  the  people,  the  wrath  of  Mosheh  was 
suddenly  kindled,  and  he  cast  the  tables  from  his  hands,  ! 
and  brake  them  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain ; — the  holy  i 
writing  that  was  on  them,  however,  flew,  and  was  car-  j 
ried  away  into  the  air  of  the  heavens ; — and  he  cried,  j 
and  said,  Woe  upon  the  people  who  heard  at  Sinai  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Holy  One,  Thou  shalt  not  make  to  j 
thyself  an  image,  or  figure,  or  any  likeness, — and  yet, 
at  the  end  of  forty  days,  make  a  useless  molten  calf ! 
And  he  took  the  calf  which  they  had  made,  and  burned 
it  in  fire,  and  bruised  it  into  powder,  and  cast  (it)  upon 
the  face  of  the  water  of  the  stream,  and  made  the  sons 
of  Israel  drink ;  and  whoever  had  given  thereto  any 
trinket  of  gold,  the  sign  of  it  came  forth  upon  his 
nostrils.  And  Mosheh  said  unto  Aharon,  What  did 
this  people  to  thee,  that  thou  hast  brought  upon  them  a 
great  sin  ?  And  Aharon  said,  Let  not  my  lord's  anger 
be  strong  :  thou  knowest  the  people,  that  they  are  the 
children  of  the  Just;  but  evil  concupiscence  hath  made 
them  to  err :  and  they  said  to  me.  Make  us  gods  that 
may  go  before  us  ;  for  this  Mosheh,  the  man  who 
brought  us  up  from  the  land  of  Mizraim,  is  consumed 
in  the  mountain,  by  the  flaming  fire  from  before  the 
Lord,  and  we  know  not  what  hath  been  done  to  him  in 
his  end.  And  I  said  to  them,  Whoever  hath  gold,  let 
him  deliver  and  give  it  to  me ;  and  I  cast  it  into  the 
fire,  and  Satana  entered  into  it,  and  there  came  out  of 
it  the  similitude  of  this  calf !  And  Mosheh  saw  that 
the  people  were  naked ;  for  they  had  been  stripped  by 
the  hand  of  Aharon  of  the  holy  crown  which  was  upon 
their  head,  inscribed  and  beautified  with  the  great  and 
glorious  Name ;  and  that  their  evil  report  would  go 
forth  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  they  would 
get  to  them  an  evil  name  unto  their  generations.  [Jeru- 


XXXII.]  ON  EXODUS.  553 

salem.  And  Mosheh  saw  the  people  that  they  were 
uncovered ;  for  they  had  been  stripped  of  the  golden 
crown  which  was  upon  their  head,  whereon  the  Name 
had  been  engraven  and  set  forth,  at  Mount  Horeb.] 
And  Mosheh  stood  in  the  sanhedrin  gate  of  the  camp, 
and  said.  Who  feareth  the  Lord,  let  him  come  to  me. 
And  there  gathered  to  him  all  the  sons  of  Levi.  And 
he  said  to  them,  Thus  hath  said  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
Israel,  Whosoever  hath  sacrificed  to  the  idols  of  the 
Gentiles,  let  him  be  slain  with  the  sword.  And  now, 
go,  pass  through  from  the  gate  of  the  sanhedrin  to  the 
gate  of  the  house  of  judgment,  in  the  camp,  and  with 
prayer  before  the  Lord  that  He  will  forgive  you  this  sin, 
take  vengeance  upon  the  wicked  workers  of  strange 
worship,  and  slay,  even  a  man  his  brother,  and  a  man 
his  companion,  and  a  man  his  neighbour.  And  the 
sons  of  Levi  did  according  to  the  word  of  Mosheh  ;  and 
of  the  people  who  had  the  mark  in  their  nostrils  there 
fell  that  day  by  the  slaughter  of  the  sword  about  the 
number  of  three  thousand  men. 

And  Mosheh  said,  Offer  your  oblation  for  the 
shedding  of  the  blood  that  is  upon  your  hands,  and 
make  atonement  for  yourselves  before  the  Lord, 
because  you  have  smitten  a  man  his  son  or  his  brother, 
and  that  you  may  bring  a  blessing  upon  you  this  day. 
And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  day  following,  that  Mosheh 
said  to  the  people,  You  have  sinned  a  great  sin;  but 
now  I  will  go  up  and  will  pray  before  the  Lord,  if 
haply  I  may  obtain  forgiveness  of  your  sin.  And 
Mosheh  returned,  and  prayed  before  the  Lord,  and 
said,  I  supplicate  of  Thee,  Thou  Lord  of  all  the  world, 
before  whom  the  darkness  is  as  the  light !  Now  have 
this  people  sinned  a  great  sin,  and  have  made  to  them 
gods  of  gold ;  but  now,  if  Thou  wilt  forgive  their  sin, 
forgive ;  but  if  not,  blot  me,  I  pray,  from  the  book  of 

B  B 


554  TARGUM  OE  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

tlie  just,  in  the  midst  of  which  Thou  hast  written  my 
name.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  It  is  not  right 
that  I  should  blot  out  thy  name ;  but  whosoever 
sinneth  before  Me,  him  will  I  blot  from  My  book. 
But  now,  go  lead  the  people  to  the  place  of  which  I 
have  told  thee;  behold.  My  angel  shall  proceed  before 
thee ;  but  in  the  day  of  My  visitation  I  will  visit  upon 
them  their  sin.  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  plagued 
the  people,  because  they  had  bowed  themselves  to  the 
calf  that  Aharon  had  made. 

XXXIII.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  Go, 
remove  thee  hence,  lest  My  anger  grow  hot  against  the 
people,  and  I  consume  them.  Therefore  proceed  thou, 
and  the  people  whom  thou  didst  bring  up  out  of  the 
land  of  Mizraim,  (to  that  land)  which  I  have  covenanted 
unto  Abraham,  to  Izhak,  and  to  Jakob,  saying,  Unto 
thy  sons  will  I  give  it.  And  I  will  appoint  before  thee  an 
angel,  and  by  his  hand  will  cast  out  the  Kenaanaee, 
Amoraee,  Hittaee,  and  Pherizaee,  Hivaee,  and  Jebusaee ; 
to  the  land  producing  milk  and  honey.  For  the  Shekinah 
of  My  Glory  cannot  go  up  among  you,  nor  My  Majesty 
dwell  in  the  habitation  of  their  camp,  because  thou  art 
a  hard-necked  people,  lest  I  destroy  you  in  the  way. 

And  the  people  heard  this  evil  word,  and  mourned ; 
and  no  man  put  on  his  accustomed  ornaments,6  which 
had  been  given  them  at  Mount  Sinai,  and  on  which  was 
inscribed  and  set  forth  the  great  and  holy  Name.  And 
the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Speak  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
Ye  are  a  hard-necked  people  :  were  the  glory  of  My 
Shekinah  to  go  up  with  you,  in  one  little  hour  I  should 
destroy  you.  And  now  put  thy  accustomed  ornaments 9 
from  thee,  that  it  may  be  manifest  before  Me  what  I 
may  do  to  thee.  And  the  sons  of  Israel  were  deprived 
of  their  usual  adornments,6  on  which  was  written  and 
6  Or,  “  appointed  arms.” 


XXXIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  555 

set  forth  the  great  Name;  and  which  had  been  given 
them,  a  gift  from  Mount  Horeb.  And  Mosheh  took 
and  hid  them  in  his  tabernacle  of  instruction.  But 
the  tabernacle  he  took  away  from  thence,  and  spread  it 
without  the  camp,  and  removed  it  from  the  camp  of  the 
people  to  the  distance  of  two  thousand  cubits;  and  it 
was  called  the  Tabernacle  of  the  House  of  Instruction : 
and  it  was  that  when  any  one  turned  by  repentance 
with  a  true  heart  before  the  Lord,  he  went  forth  to  the 
Tabernacle  of  the  House  of  Instruction  that  was  without 
the  camp,  to  confess  and  pray  for  the  pardon  of  his 
sins ;  and  praying,  he  was  forgiven.  And  it  was  wlien 
Mosheh  passed  forth  from  the  camp  to  go  to  the  taber¬ 
nacle  that  all  the  wicked  people  arose,  and  stood,  every 
man  at  the  door  of  his  tent,  and  looked  with  the  evil 
eye  after  Mosheh,  when  he  entered  the  tabernacle. 
And  it  came  to  pass  when  Mosheh  had  gone  into  the 
tabernacle,  the  column  of  the  glorious  Cloud  descended 
and  stood  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle ;  and  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh.  And  all  the  people 
beheld  the  column  of  the  Cloud  standing  at  the  door  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  the  whole  people  at  once  rose  up 
and  worshipped  towards  the  tabernacle,  standing  every 
man  at  the  door  of  his  tent. 

And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh  word  for  word, — 
the  voice  of  the  word  was  heard,  but  the  Majesty  of  the 
Presence  was  not  seen, — in  the  wray  that  a  man  con¬ 
versed  with  his  companion  :  and  after  the  speaking 
voice  had  ascended,  he  returned  to  the  camp,  and  deli¬ 
vered  the  word  to  the  congregation  of  Israel.  But  his 
minister,  Jehoshua  bar  Nun,  a  young  man,  removed  not 
from  the  tabernacle.  [Jerusalem.  But  his  minister, 
Jehoshua  bar  Nun,  a  young  man,  passed  not  from 
within  the  tabernacle.] 

And  Mosheh  said  before  the  Lord,  Lo,  wrhat  hast 
2  b  2 


556  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

Thou  said  to  me,  Take  this  people  up  ?  but  Thou  hast 
not  made  me  to  know  whom  Thou  wilt  send  with  me. 
By  Thy  Word  Thou  hast  said,  I  have  ordained  thee  with 
a  goodly  name,  and  thou  hast  found  favour  before  Me. 
But  now  I  pray,  if  I  have  found  mercy  before  Thee, 
make  me  to  know  the  way  of  Thy  goodness,  to  under¬ 
stand  Thy  mercy  when  in  Thy  dealing  with  just  men  it 
falleth  to  them  as  it  (falleth)  to  the  guilty,  and  to  the 
guilty  as  to  the  just ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  how  it 
(indeed)  befalleth  the  just  according  to  their  righteous¬ 
ness,  and  the  guilty  according  to  their  guilt;  that  I 
may  find  mercy  before  Thee,  and  it  be  made  manifest  by 
Thee  that  this  people  is  Thy  people.  And  He  said. 
Await,  until  the  face  of  My  displeasure  shall  have  gone 
away,  and  afterward  I  will  give  thee  rest.  And  he  said 
to  Him,  If  Thy  wrath  go  not  from  us,  suffer  us  not  to 
go  up  from  hence  under  the  frown  of  Thy  displeasure. 
In  what  will  it  be  known  that  I  have  found  mercy 
before  Thee  but  in  the  converse  of  Thy  Shekinah  with 
us,  that  distinguishing  signs  may  be  wrought  for  us,  in 
the  withholdment  of  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  from  the 
nations,  and  by  Thy  speaking  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  me 
and  to  Thy  people,  that  we  may  be  distinguished  from 
all  the  peoples  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ?  And  the 
Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  This  thing  also  which  thou  hast 
*poken  of,  will  I  do ;  for  thou  hast  found  mercy  before 
tfe,  and  I  have  ordained  thee  with  a  goodly  name. 
Ind  he  said.  Show  now  unto  me  Thy  glory  :  but  He 
said,  Behold,  I  will  make  all  the  measure  of  My  good¬ 
ness  pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  give  utterance  in  the 
name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  before  thee ;  and  I  will 
have  compassion  upon  whom  I  see  it  right  to  have 
compassion,  and  will  be  merciful  to  whom  I  see  it 
right  ta  have  mercy.  [Jerusalem:.  And  He  said, 
Behold,  I  will  make  all  the  measure  of  My  goodness  to 


ON  EXODUS. 


557 


XXXIV.] 

pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  give  utterance  in  the 
good  Name  of  the  Lord  before  thee,  and  I  will 
have  compassion  upon  whom  I  see  it  right  to  have 
compassion,  .and  will  be  merciful  upon  whom  I  see  it 
right  to  have  mercy.]  And  He  said.  Thou  canst  not 
see  the  visage  of  My  face ;  for  no  man  can  see  Me  and 
abide  alive.  And  the  Lord  said,  Behold,  a  place  is 
prepared  before  Me,  and  thou  shalt  stand  upon  the 
rock.  And  it  shall  be  that  when  the  glory  of  My 
Shekinah  passeth  before  thee,  I  will  put  thee  in  a 
cavern  of  the  rock,  and  will  overshadow  thee  with  My 
Word  until  the  time  that  I  have  passed  by.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  I  will  overshadow  with  My  hand.]  And 
I  will  make  the  host  of  angels  who  stand  and  minister 
before  Me  to  pass  by,  and  thou  shalt  see  the  hand- 
border  of  the  tephilla  of  My  glorious  Shekinah ;  but  the 
face  of  the  glory  of  My  Shekinah  thou  canst  not  be  able 
to  see.  [Jerusalem.  And  I  will  cause  the  hosts  of 
angels  who  stand  and  minister  before  Me  to  pass  by, 
and  will  make  known  the  oracle ;  for  the  glory  of  My 
Shekinah  thou  art  not  able  to  behold. 

XXXIY.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Hew  thee 
two  tables  of  stone,  as  the  former,  and  write  upon  the 
tables  the  words  that  were  upon  the  former  tables  which 
thou  didst  break ;  and  be  ready  in  the  morn ;  and  at 
morning  ascend  thou  Mount  Sinai,  and  stand  there  before 
Me  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  No  man  shall 
ascend  with  thee,  nor  any  man  be  seen  on  all  the 
mountain,  nor  sheep,  nor  oxen  grazing  on  the  side  of 
the  mount.  And  he  hewed  two  tables  of  stone  like  the 
former :  and  Mosheh  arose  in  the  morning  and  ascended 
Mount  Sinai,  as  the  Lord  had  instructed  him,  and  took 
in  his  hand  the  two  tables  of  stone. 

And  the  Lord  revealed  Himself  in  the  cloud  of  the 
glory  of  His  Shekinah,  and  Mosheh  stood  with  Him 


558  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

there ;  and  Mosheh  called  on  the  Name  of  the  Word  of 
the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  made  His  Shekinah  to  pass 
by  before  his  face,  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  nigh  in 
mercies,  abounding  to  exercise  compassion  and  truth; 
keeping  mercy  and  bounty  for  thousands  of  generations, 
absolving  and  remitting  guilt,  passing  by  rebellions,  and 
covering  sins;  pardoning  them  who  convert  unto  the 
law,  but  holding  not  guiltless  in  the  great  day  of  judg¬ 
ment  those  who  will  not  convert ;  visiting  the  sins  of 
fathers  upon  rebellious  children  upon  the  third  and  upon 
the  fourth  generation.  And  Mosheh  made  haste  and 
bowed  himself  upon  the  earth  and  worshipped.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  And  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord 
passed  by  before  him ;  and  Mosheh  prayed,  and  said, 
Lord,  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  slow  to  be 
angry,  but  nigh  to  be  merciful,  and  abounding  to 
exercise  kindness  and  truth;  keeping  goodness  for 
thousands  of  generations ;  absolving  and  remitting  sin 
and  transgressions,  but  not  to  acquit  the  guilty  in  the 
great  day  of  judgment;  and  remembering  the  sins  of 
wicked  fathers  upon  rebellious  children  upon  the  third 
and  upon  the  fourth  generation.  And  Mosheh  hastened 
and  prostrated  himself  upon  the  earth,  and  gave  thanks 
and  glorified.] 

And  he  said,  If  now  I  have  found  mercy  before  the 
Lord,  let  the  Shekinah  of  the'  Glory  of  the  Lord  go,  I 
pray,  among  us ;  for  it  is  a  people  of  hard  neck ;  but 
pardon  Thou  our  guilt  and  our  sin,  and  give  us  the 
inheritance  of  the  land  which  Thou  didst  covenant  unto 
our  fathers,  and  change  us  not  to  become  an  alien 
people.  And  He  said.  Behold,  I  make  covenant  that  I 
will  not  change  this  people  to  become  an  alien  people; 
nevertheless  from  thee  shall  proceed  a  multitude  of  the 
righteous ;  and  with  all  thy  people  will  I  do  wondrous 


ON  EXODUS. 


559 


XXXIV.] 

things  in  the  time  when  they  go  into  captivity  by  the 
rivers  of  Bavel :  for  I  will  bring  them  up  from  thence, 
and  make  them  dwell  from  within  the  river  Sambation  ; 
and  like  wonders  shall  not  be  created  among  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth,  nor  among  any  nation.  And 
all  the  people  among  whom  thou  wilt  dwell  shall  see  in 
that  day  the  work  of  the  Lord ;  for  terrible  is  the  thing 
that  I  will  do  with  thee. 

Observe  thou  that  which  I  command  thee  this  day  : 
behold,  I  drive  out  from  before  thee  the  Amoraee,  and 
Kenaanaee,  and  Hittaee,  and  Pherizaee,  and  Hivaee,  and 
Jebusaee.  Take  heed  to  thee,  lest  thou  strike  covenants 
with  the  inhabitants  of  that  land  into  which  thou  art  to 
enter ;  that  it  may  not  be  a  stumbling-block  unto  thee. 
But  thou  shalt  rather  destroy  their  high  places,  and 
break  their  statues,  and  cut  down  their  groves ;  for  it 
is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  worship  other  gods ;  for  the 
Lord  is  zealous  and  avengeful ;  His  Name  is  God,  the 
Zealous  and  the  Avenger.  Lest  thou  strike  covenant 
with  the  dwellers  in  the  land,  and  they  draw  thee  astray 
after  their  idols,  and  they  sacrifice  to  their  idols,  and 
invite  thee,  and  thou  eat  of  the  sacrifices  of  their  idols ; 
and  thou  take  of  their  daughters  for  thy  sons,  and  when 
their  daughters  wander  after  their  idols  they  make  thy 
sons  also  go  astray  after  their  idols.  [Jerusalem.  And 
they  cause  to  err.]  Molten  gods  you  shall  not  make  to  you. 

You  shall  observe  the  feast  of  the  unleavened.  Seven 
days  thou  shalt  eat  unleavened  (cakes),  as  I  have 
commanded  thee,  in  the  time  of  the  month  Abiba ;  for 
in  the  month  of  Abiba  you  came  out  free  from  Mizraim. 
Whatever  openeth  the  womb  is  Mine ;  and  of  all  cattle 
thou  art  to  consecrate  the  males,  of  oxen,  and  of  sheep. 
But  the  firstling  of  an  ass  thou  mayest  redeem  with  a 
lamb ;  but  if  thou  redeem  him  not,  thou  shalt  cut  him 
off  with  the  blade.  And  each  firstborn  of  thy  sons  thou 


560  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP, 

must  redeem ;  and  they  shall  not  appear  before  Me 
empty.  [Jerusalem.  All  firstlings  opening  the  womb 
thou  shalt  sanctify  unto  My  Name;  all  the  firstborn  of 
your  males,  the  first  that  breaketh  through  the  womb, 
of  oxen  and  of  sheep.  20.  My  people  of  the  house  of 
Israd,  it  shall  not  be  allowed  you  to  see  the  Lord  your 
God  empty  of  any  precept.] 

Six  days  shalt  thou  work,  and  in  the  seventh  day 
have  rest ;  in  ploughing  time  and  in  harvest  thou  shalt 
rest.  [Jerusalem.  In  ploughing.]  The  feast  of  weeks 
also  shalt  thou  make  to  thee  in  the  time  of  the  firsts  of 
the  wheat  harvest ;  and  the  feast  of  ingathering  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  year.  Three  times  in  the  year  shall 
all  thy  males  appear  before  the  Master  of  the  world,  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel.  Tor  I  will  drive  out  the  nations  from 
before  thee,  and  enlarge  thy  borders ;  and  no  man  shall 
covet  thy  land  at  the  time  of  thy  going  up  to  appear  before 
the  Lord  thy  God  thrice  in  the  year. 

You  shall  not  sacrifice  the  victim  of  My  passover 
before  you  have  done  away  with  leaven ;  nor  suffer  the 
fat  of  the  paschal  sacrifice  to  remain  about  the  altar  till 
the  morning.  [Jerusalem.  You  shall  not  sacrifice  with 
leaven  the  blood  of  the  paschal  victim,  nor  suffer  the 
flesh  which  you  sacrifice  on  the  night  of  the  feast  of  the 
first  of  Pascha  to  remain  from  the  evening  till  the 
morning.]  The  best  of  the  firstfruits  of  your  land  ye  shall 
bring  to  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  your  God.  You  are  not 
allowed  to  boil  or  to  eat  flesh  and  milk  mixed  together, 
lest  My  displeasure  be  kindled  against  you,  and  the 
fruit  of  your  trees,  with  the  grapes  in  their  branches  and 
their  leaves,  be  laid  waste  together.  [Jerusalem.  The 
first  (best)  of  the  firstfruits  of  your  produce  ye  shall 
bring  to  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  your  God. 
My  people  of  the  house  of  Israel,  ye  shall  not  be 
allowed  to  boil  or  to  eat  flesh  and  milk  mixed  together.] 


XXXIV.]  OX  EXODUS.  561 

And  the  Lord  said  to  Mosheh,  Write  thou  these 
words ;  for  upon  the  expression  of  these  words  have  I 
stricken  My  covenant  with  thee,  and  with  the  people  of 
Israel.  And  he  was  there  before  the  Lord  forty  days 
and  forty  nights;  he  ate  no  bread,  nor  did  he  drink 
water ;  and  he  wrote  upon  the  other  tables  the  words  of 
the  covenant,  the  Ten  Words  which  had  been  written 
upon  the  former  tables. 

And  it  wras  at  the  time  when  Mosheh  came  down 
from  the  mountain  of  Sinai,  with  the  two  tables  ‘of  the 
testimony  in  the  hand  of  Mosheh,  in  his  descending  from 
the  mount,  that  Mosheh  knew  not  that  the  visage  (form) 
of  his  face  shone  with  the  splendour  which  had  come 
upon  him  from  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord's 
Shekinah  in  the  time  of  His  speaking  with  him.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  That  the  beams  of  his  face  did  shiue.]  And 
Aharon  and  all  the  sons  of  Israel  saw  Mosheh,  and, 
behold,  the  glory  of  the  form  of  his  face  shined,  and 
they  were  afraid  to  come  near  to  him.  And  Mosheh 
called  to  them  and  Aharon,  and  all  the  princes  who 
had  been  appointed  chiefs  in  the  congregation  returned, 
and  Mosheh  conversed  with  them.  And  afterward  drew 
nigh  all  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  he  taught  them  all  that 
the  Lord  had  spoken  to  him  on  Mount  Sinai.  And 
when  Mosheh  had  finished  to  speak  with  them,  he  put 
over  the  form  of  his  face  a  veil.  [Jerusalem.  A  cloth.] 
And  when  Mosheh  went  in  before  the  Lord  to  speak 
with  Him,  he  removed  the  veil  from  his  countenance 
until  he  came  forth ;  and  he  came  forth  and  spake  to 
the  sons  of  Israel  what  had  been  commanded.  And 
the  sons  of  Israel  saw  the  countenance  of  Mosheh,  that 
the  glory  of  the  form  of  Mosheh's  face  was  shining. 
And  Mosheh  replaced  the  veil  upon  his  face  until  the 
time  of  his  going  in  to  speak  with  Him. 


2  b  5 


562 


TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE 


[chap. 


SECTION  XXII. 

YAIYAKHEL. 

And  Mosheli  gathered  together  all  the  congregation 
of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  said  to  them :  These  are  the 
things  which  the  Lord  hath  commanded  to  be  done. 
Six  days  thou  shalt  do  work,  and  on  the  seventh  day 
there  shall  be  to  you  the  holy  Sabbath  of  repose  before 
the  Lord.  Whoever  doeth  work  on  the  Sabbath  day, 
dying  he  shall  die  by  the  casting  of  stones.  My  people 
of  the  sons  of  Israel,  ye  shall  not  kindle  a  fire  in  any 
place  of  your  habitations  on  the  day  of  the  Sabbath. 
[Jerusalem.  Ye  shall  not  kindle  a  fire  in  any  place  of 
the  house  of  your  dwelling  on  the  Sabbath  day.] 

And  Mosheh  spake  to  all  the  assembly  of  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Israel,  saying,  This  is  the  word  which  the  Lord 
hath  commanded,  saying,  Take  of  you  a  separation 
before  the  Lord :  -whosoever  is  moved  in  his  heart,  let 
him  present  the  separation  for  the  Lord ;  gold,  or  silver, 
or  brass,  or  hyacinth,  or  purple,  or  scarlet,  or  fine  linen, 
or  goats'  hair,  or  rams'  skins  dyed  red,  or  skins  of  seals, 
(purple  skins,)  and  woods  of  sitta;  or  oil  for  the  lights, 
*  aromatics  for  the  anointing  oil,  and  sweet  incense ;  the 
onyx  stones,  and  stones  for  completing  the  enchasement 
of  the  ephoda  and  the  breastplate.  And  let  all  the 
wise-hearted  among  you  give  and  make  all  that  the 
Lord  hath  commanded  :  The  tabernacle,  its  tent,  and  its 
covering,  its  hasps,  and  its  boards,  its  bars,  and  its  pil¬ 
lars,  and  its  bases.  [Jerusalem:.  The  tabernacle,  and 
its  tent,  and  its  covering,  its  hasps,  and  boards,  and  its 
bars,  its  pillars,  and  its  bases.]  The  ark,  with  its 
staves,  and  the  mercy  seat,  and  the  veil  for  the  cover- 


OK  EXODUS. 


563 


XXXV.  J 

ing ;  and  the  table,  and  its  staves,  and  all  its  vessels, 
and  the  bread  for  the  Presence ;  and  the  candelabrum 
for  illumination,  with  the  lamps,  and  the  oil  for  the 
light ;  and  the  altar  of  sweet  incense,  and  its  staves,  and 
the  anointing  oil,  and  the  sweet  incense,  and  the  curtain 
for  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance ;  the  altar  of 
burnt  offering,  and  its  brasen  grate,  with  its  staves,  and 
its  vessels,  and  the  laver,  with  its  base ;  and  the  cur¬ 
tains  of  the  court,  with  its  pillars,  and  bases,  and  the 
hanging  for  the  gate  of  the  court,  and  the  pins  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  pins  of  the  court,  and  their  cords ; 
the  vestments  of  ministration,  for  ministering  in  the 
sanctuary,  and  the  holy  vestments  for  Aharon  the  priest, 
and  the  vestments  of  his  sons  for  ministering.  And  all 
the  congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel  went  out  from 
before  Mosheh. 

And  every  man  whose  heart  moved  him,  and  every 
one  who  was  filled  with  the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  came,  and 
brought  what  he  had  for  a  separation  before  the  Lord 
for  the  work  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  for  all 
its  service,  and  for  the  holy  vestments.  And  with  the 
men  came  the  women,  every  one  whose  heart  was  moved, 
and  brought  chains,  and  necklaces,  rings,  bracelets,  and 
every  ornament  of  gold ;  every  one  offering  up  the 
offering  of  gold  before  the  Lord.  And  every  one  with 
whom  was  found  hyacinth,  or  purple,  or  crimson,  or 
fine  linen,  goats*  hair,  or  purple  skins,  brought  the 
separation  before  the  Lord ;  and  all  with  whom  were 
found  woods  of  sitta  for  all  the  work  of  the  service 
brought.  And  every  woman  whose  heart  was  wise  spun 
with  her  hands,  and  brought  the  spun  work  of  hyacinth, 
and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen.  And  all  the 
women  whose  hearts  were  moved  in  wisdom  spun  goats* 
hair  (while)  upon  their  bodies,  and  sheared  them,  being 
alive.  And  the  clouds  of  heaven  went  to  the  Phison,  and 


564  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

drew  up  from  thence  onyx  stones,  and  stones  for  infilling, 
to  enchase  the  epliod  and  the  breastplate,  and  spread 
them  upon  the  face  of  the  wilderness  ;  and  the  princes  of 
Israel  went,  and  brought  them  for  the  need  of  the  work. 
And  the  clouds  of  heaven  returned,  and  went  to  the  gar¬ 
den  of  Eden,  and  took  from  thence  choice  aromatics,  and 
oil  of  olives  for  the  light,  and  pure  balsam  for  the 
anointing  oil,  and  for  the  sweet  incense.  Every  man,  a 
son  of  Israel,  and  (every)  woman,  a  daughter  of  Israel, 
who  was  moved  in  heart,  brought  for  all  the  work  which 
the  Lord  by  Mosheh  had  commanded  to  be  made;  so 
brought  the  children  of  Israel  the  votive  gift  before  the 
Lord. 

And  Mosheh  said  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  See,  the 
Lord  hath  ordained  with  a  good  name  Bezalel  bar  Uri 
bar  Hur,  of  the  tribe  of  Jehudah,  and  hath  filled  him 
with  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  from  before  the  Lord,  in 
wisdom,  in  understanding,  in  knowledge,  and  in  all 
handicraft;  and  to  instruct  artificers  to  work  in  gold, 
and  in  silver,  and  in  brass,  and  in  the  cutting  of 
precious  stones,  to  perfect  by  them  the  work,  and  in  the 
fabrication  of  wood,  to  work  in  all  the  work  of  arti¬ 
ficers.  [Jerusalem.  And  in  the  cutting  of  precious 
stones  for  completion,  and  the  workmanship  of  wood, 
to  work  in  all  the  work  of  the  artificer.]  And  to  teach 
art-work  to  the  rest  of  the  artificers  he  imparted  skill  to 
his  heart,  and  to  (that  of)  Ahaliab  bar  Achisamak,  of 
the  tribe  of  Dan.  He  filled  them  with  wisdom  of 
heart  to  make  all  the  work  of  the  carpenter  and  the 
embroiderer,  in  hyacinth,  and  in  purple,  and  in  crimson, 
and  in  fine  linen ;  and  of  the  sewer,  to  fashion  all  the 
work,  and  to  teach  the  workmen. 

XXXVI.  And  Bezalel  and  Ahaliab  wrought,  and 
every  man  wise  in  heart,  to  wrhom  the  Lord  had  given 
wisdom  and  intelligence  to  understand  and  to  make  all 


ON  EXODUS. 


565 


XXXVI.] 

the  work  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  according  to 
all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded.  And  Mosheh  called 
Eezalel  and  Ahaliab,  and  every  man  wise  in  heart,  to 
whose  heart  the  Lord  had  given  wisdom,  every  one 
whose  heart  was  moved,  to  draw  near,  and  do  the  work 
itself.  And  they  took  from  before  Mosheh  all  the 
separation  that  the  children  of  Israel  had  brought  for 
the  work  of  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  to  make  it. 
And  they  still  brought  to  him  the  voluntary  gift,  morn¬ 
ing  after  morning,  from  their  possessions.  [Jerusalem. 
The  gift.]  And  all  the  wise  men  who  did  all  the  work 
of  the  sanctuary  came,  each  man  from  the  work  which 
he  had  done;  and  they  said  to  Mosheh,  The  people 
abound  in  bringing  (more)  than  is  enough  for  the  service 
of  the  work,  which  the  Lord  hath  ordained.  And 
Mosheh  commanded,  and  they  made  proclamation 
through  the  camp,  saying,  Neither  man  nor  woman  may 
make  any  more  work  for  the  holy  separation :  and  the 
people  ceased  from  bringing.  Lor  what  had  been  done 
was  according  to  the  sufficiency  of  all  the  work ;  and 
they  did  it,  and  had  more  than  enough. 

And  all  the  wise  in  heart  made  the  Tabernacle  ;  ten 
curtains  of  fine  linen,  and  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
scarlet,  figured  with  kerubin,  the  work  of  the 
embroiderer,  he  made  them.  The  length  of  one  cur¬ 
tain  twenty  and  eight  cubits,  the  sum  of  one  curtain ; 
the  measure  was  one  for  all  the  curtains.  And  he  con¬ 
joined  five*  curtains  one  with  another,  and  (the  other) 
five  curtains  conjoined  he  one  with  another.  And  he 
made  loops  of  hyacinth  upon  the  edge  of  one  curtain,  at 
the  place  of  conjunction  in  the  side  ;  so  made  he  in  the 
side  at  the  place  of  conjunction  in  the  other  curtain. 
[Jerusalem.  In  the  jointure.]  Fifty  loops  he  made  in 
one  curtain,  and  fifty  loops  made  he  at  the  place  of 
juncture  of  the  edge  of  the  second  curtain;  the  loops 


566  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

•were  arranged  one  over  against  the  other.  [Jerusalem. 
Answering  to  each  other.]  And  he  made  fifty  taches  of 
gold,  and  conjoined  one  curtain  with  another  with  the 
taches,  and  there  was  one  tabernacle.  And  he  made 
curtains  of  goats’  hair  to  spread  upon  the  tabernacle : 
eleven  curtains  he  made  them.  The  length  of  one  cur¬ 
tain  thirty  cubits,  and  four  cubits  the  breadth  of  one 
curtain ;  one  measure  for  the  eleven  curtains.  And  he 
joined  five  curtains  together,  corresponding  with  the 
five  books  of  the  law ;  and  six  curtains  together, 
corresponding  with  the  six  orders  of  the  Mishna.  And  he 
made  fifty  loops  in  the  border  of  the  curtain  at  the  place 
of  conjuncture,  and  fifty  loops  made  he  upon  the  border 
of  the  curtain  at  the  second  place  of  conjuncture.  And 
he  made  taches  of  brass  to  compact  the  tabernacle,  that 
it  might  become  one.  And  he  made  a  covering  for  the 
tabernacle  of  rams’  skins  reddened,  and  of  purple  skins  to 
protect  it  above.  And  he  made  the  boards  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle  of  sitta  wood,  standing  up,  after  the  way  of  their 
plantation ;  ten  cubits  the  length  of  the  board,  and  a  cubit 
and  a  half  of  a  cubit  the  breadth  of  one  board.  Each  board 
had  two  tenons  arranged,  one  side  for  the  midst  of  the 
other  side ;  and  so  did  he  for  all  the  boards  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle.  And  he  made  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle  twenty 
boards  on  the  side  of  the  south  wind ;  and  forty  sockets 
of  silver  he  made  under  the  twenty  boards  ;  two  sockets 
beneath  one  board  for  its  two  tenons,  and  two  sockets 
under  another  board  for  its  two  tenons.  And  for  the 
second  side  of  the  tabernacle  on  the  north  he  made 
twenty  boards,  and  their  forty  sockets  of  silver;  two 
sockets  beneath  one  board,  and  two  sockets  beneath 
another  board.  And  to  the  border  of  the  tabernacle  west¬ 
ward  he  made  six  boards,  and  two  boards  made  he  at  the 
corners  of  the  tabernacle  at  their  extremes.  [Jerusalem. 
At  the  declivities.]  And  they  were  conjoined  below,  and 


XXXVII.]  ON  EXODUS.  567 

joined  together  were  they  at  their  tops  with  one  ring  ;  so 
made  he  both  of  them  at  the  two  corners.  [Jerusalem. 
And  they  were  twins.]  And  eight  boards  there  were,  and 
their  sockets  of  silver,  sixteen  sockets ;  two  sockets,  and 
two  sockets  under  one  board.  And  he  made  bars  of  sitta 
wood ;  five  for  the  boards  of  one  side  of  the  tabernacle, 
and  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  second  side  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  five  bars  for  the  boards  of  the  tabernacle 
at  the  ends  westward.  And  he  made  the  middle  bar  to 
mortise  in  the  midst  of  the  boards  from  end  to  end, — of 
the  tree  which  our  father  Abraham  planted  in  Beira  of 
Sheba,  praying  therein  the  Name  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  the  everlasting  God.  [Jerusalem.  And  he  made 
the  middle  board  to  go  along  among  the  boards.]  And 
the  boards  he  overlaid  with  gold,  and  the  rings  he  made 
of  gold,  as  the  place  for  the  bars ;  and  he  covered  the 
bars  with  gold. 

And  he  made  the  Yeil  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work  of  the  arti¬ 
ficer  ;  figured  with  kerubin  he  made  it.  And  he  made 
for  it  four  pillars  of  sitta  wood,  and  covered  them  with 
gold,  and  their  hooks  of  gold,  and  cast  for  them  four 
sockets  of  silver.  And  he  made  a  curtain  for  the  door 
of  the  tabernacle,  of  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson, 
and  fine  linen  twined,  the  work  of  the  embroiderer,  and 
its  five  pillars,  and  their  five  hooks ;  and  he  covered 
their  capitals  and  their  joinings  with  gold,  and  their  five 
bases  with  brass. 

XXXYII.  And  Bezalel  made  the  Ark  of  sitta  wood ; 
two  cubits  and  a  half  its  length,  and  a  cubit  and  half 
its  breadth,  and  a  cubit  and  half  its  height.  And  he 
covered  it  with  pure  gold  within  and  without,  and  made 
for  it  a  crown  of  gold  round  about.  And  he  cast  for  it 
four  golden  rings  upon  its  four  corners;  two  rings 
upon  one  side  of  it,  and  two  rings  upon  its  second  side. 


568  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  he  made  the  staves  of  it  of  sitta  wood,  and  covered 
them  with  gold,  and  put  the  staves  into  the  rings  upon 
the  sides  of  the  ark,  to  carry  the  ark. 

And  he  made  the  Mercy  Seat  of  pure  gold ;  two 
cubits  and  a  half  the  length,  and  a  cubit  and  half  its 
breadth ;  but  its  thickness  was  a  span.  And  he  made 
two  kerubin  of  pure  gold,  beaten  made  he  them,  on  the 
two  sides  of  the  mercy  seat.  One  keruba  on  this  side, 
and  one  keruba  on  that  side,  of  beaten  work ;  and  the 
kerubin  were  face  to  face.  They  were  not  separated 
from  the  mercy  seat ;  but  by  the  wisdom  of  the  Spirit  of 
prophecy,  he  made  the  kerubin  on  its  two  sides.  And 
the  kerubaia  spread  forth  their  wings,  with  their  heads 
upward,  overshadowing  the  mercy  seat  with  their  wings, 
and  their  faces  were  toward  each  other,  over  against  the 
mercy  seat  were  the  faces  of  the  kerubaia. 

And  he  made  the  Table  of  sitta  wood,  two  cubits  its 
length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  and  a  cubit  and  half  its 
height.  And  he  covered  it  with  pure  gold,  and  made 
for  it  a  golden  crown  round  about.  And  he  made  a 
border  for  it,  its  height  a  span  round  about.  [Jeru¬ 
salem.  A  border,  a  span  around,  and  he  made  a 
coronal  of  gold  for  the  surrounding  border.]  And  he 
made  a  crown  of  gold  for  the  border  round  about. 
And  he  cast  for  it  four  golden  rings,  and  set  the  rings 
upon  the  four  corners  of  its  four  feet.  Over  against 
the  border  were  the  rings,  the  place  for  the  staves  in 
carrying  the  table.  And  he  made  the  staves  of  sitta 
wood,  and  covered  them  with  gold,  for  carrying  the 
table.  And  he  made  the  vessels  to  be  upon  the  table, 
its  dishes,  and  its  bowls,  and  its  measures,  and  its  cups 
for  the  lavings,7  of  pure  gold. 

And  he  made  the  Candelabrum  of  pure  gold,  beaten 
made  he  the  candelabrum ;  its  base  and  its  shaft,  its 
7  Cqstel,  col.  1332. 


xxxvm.]  on  exodus.  569 

cups,  its  apples,  and  its  lilies  were  of  the  same.  And 
six  branches  came  forth  from  its  sides ;  three  branches 
of  the  candelabrum  on  one  side,  and  three  branches  of 
the  candelabrum  on  the  second  side.  Three  embossed 
cups  with  their  figurations  on  one  branch,  with  the 
apple  and  lily,  and  three  embossed  cups  with  their 
figurations  on  the  other  branch,  with  the  apple  and 
lily;  so  the  six  branches  which  proceeded  from  the 
candelabrum.  And  upon  the  candelabrum,  four 
embossed  cups  with  their  figurations  of  apples  and 
lilies.  And  an  apple  (was)  under  two  branches  of  the 
same,  and  an  apple  under  two  branches  of  the  same, 
and  an  apple  under  two  branches  of  the  same,  for  the 
six  branches  that  proceeded  from  it.  Their  apples  and 
their  branches  were  of  the  same,  all  of  it  one  beaten 
work  of  pure  gold :  of  a  talent  of  pure  gold  made  he  it, 
and  all  its  vessels. 

And  he  made  the  Altar  oe  sweet  Incense  of  sitta 
wood,  a  cubit  its  length,  and  a  cubit  its  breadth,  four¬ 
square,  and  two  cubits  was  its  height ;  its  two  upright 
horns  were  of  the  same.  And  he  overlaid  it  with  pure 
gold,  its  top  and  its  sides  round  about,  and  its  horns; 
and  he  made  for  it  a  golden  crown  round  about.  And 
two  golden  rings  he  made  for  it  under  its  crown,  at  its 
two  corners,  upon  its  two  sides,  to  be  the  place  of  the 
staves  by  which  to  carry  it.  And  the  staves  he  made 
of  sitta  wood,  and  overlaid  them  with  gold.  And  he 
made  the  sacred  oil  of  anointing,  and  the  pure  sweet 
incense,  the  work  of  the  perfumer. 

XXXVIII.  And  he  made  the  Altar  of  Burnt 
Offering  of  sitta  wood ;  five  cubits  its  length,  and  five 
cubits  its  breadth,  four-square,  and  three  cubits  its 
height.  And  he  made  horns  upon  its  four  corners ;  of 
the  same  were  its  horns  stretching  upward ;  and  he 
covered  it  with  brass.  And  he  made  all  the  vessels  of 


570  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

the  altar ;  the  pots,  and  the  cleaners,  and  the  basins, 
and  the  fleshhooks,  and  the  pans,  all  its  vessels  made 
he  of  brass.  And  he  made  the  grate  of  the  altar,  of 
brasen  network  under  the  border  beneath,  reaching  to 
the  middle  of  it,  to  receive  the  cinders  and  bones  that 
fell  from  the  altar.  And  he  cast  four  rings,  for  the 
four  corners  of  the  grate,  of  brass,  (to  be)  places  for  the 
staves.  And  he  made  the  staves  of  sitta  wood,  and 
coated  them  with  brass.  And  he  put  the  staves  into 
the  rings,  upon  the  sides  of  the  altar,  to  carry  it  by 
them :  hollow  with  boards,  and  filled  with  earth  made 
he  it. 

And  he  made  the  brasen  Laver,  and  its  foundation  of 
brass,  from  the  brasen  mirrors  of  the  pious  women, 
who,  at  the  season,  came  to  pray  at  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  appointment,  standing  with  their  oblations, 
giving  thanks  and  confession,  and  returning  to  their 
husbands,  the  mothers  of  righteous  children,  who  had 
been  purified  from  the  uncleanness  of  their  blood. 
[Jerusalem.  And  he  made  the  laver  of  brass,  and  the 
base  thereof  of  brass,  with  the  mirrors  of  the  pious 
women  who  were  devout  at  the  gate  of  the  tabernacle  of 
appointment.]  And  he  made  the  court ;  on  the 
southern  side,  the  curtains  of  the  court  (made  he)  with 
fine  linen,  a  hundred  cubits,  their  pillars  twenty,  and 
their  bases  twenty,  of  brass ;  the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and 
their  rods  were  of  silver.  And  on  the  north  side,  a 
hundred  cubits,  their  pillars  twenty,  and  their  bases 
twenty,  of  brass;  the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and  their 
rods  were  of  silver.  And  the  curtains  of  the  western 
side,  fifty  cubits,  their  pillars  ten,  and  their  bases  ten ; 
the  hooks  of  the  pillars,  and  their  rods,  were  of  silver. 
And  on  the  east  side,  eastward,  fifty  cubits.  And  the 
curtains  were  fifteen  cubits  on  a  side;  their  pillars  three, 
and  their  bases  three.  And  for  the  second  side  of  the 


XXXVIII.]  ON  EXODUS.  571 

door  of  the  court,  here  and  there,  at  the  gate  of  the 
court,’  curtains  fifteen  cubits,  their  pillars  three  and 
their  bases  three.  All  the  curtains  of  the  court  round 
about  were  of  fine  linen  twined.  And  the  bases  of  the 
pillars  were  of  brass,  the  hooks  of  the  pillars  and  their 
rods  of  silver,  and  the  overlaying  of  their  capitals 
silver,  and  the  rods  silver;  so  were  made  all  the  pillars 
of  the  court.  And  the  hanging  for  the  gate  of  the 
court  was  made  of  embroidered  work  in  hyacinth,  and 
purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen  twined ;  and  twenty 
cubits  (was)  the  length,  and  the  height  on  its  breadth 
five  cubits,  corresponding  with  the  curtains  of  the  court. 
And  their  pillars  four,  and  their  bases  four,  of  brass ; 
their  hooks  silver,  and  the  overlaying  of  their  capitals, 
and  their  rods,  silver.  But  all  the  pins  of  the  taber¬ 
nacle,  and  of  the  court  round  about,  were  of  brass. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

PEKUDEY. 

These  are  the  sums,  weights,  and  numbers  of  the 
Tabernacle  of  the  Testimony,  which  were  counted  by 
the  word  of  the  mouth  of  Mosheh.  But  the  service  of 
the  Levites  was  by  the  hand  of  Ithamar  bar  Aharon  the 
priest.  And  Bezalel  bar  Uri  bar  Hur,  of  the  tribe  of 
Jehudah,  made  all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded 
Mosheh ;  and  with  him,  Ahaliab  bar  Achisamak,  of  the 
tribe  of  Dan,  a  worker  in  wood,  and  an  artificer,  and  an 
embroiderer  in  hyacinth,  and  in  purple,  and  in  crimson, 
and  in  fine  linen. 


572 


TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE 


[chap. 

All  the  gold  that  was  used  in  making  the  whole  work 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  it  was  the  amount  of  the  gold  of 
the  oblation,  (was)  twenty  and  nine  talents,  and  seven 
hundred  and  thirty  shekels,  in  the  shekel  of  the  sanc¬ 
tuary.  This  was  the  gold  of  the  oblation,  which  every 
man  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  whose  heart  was  willing,  had 
offered  as  a  separation.  And  the  silver  of  them  who 
were  numbered  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  who  gave  at  the 
time  when  Mosheh  numbered  them,  every  one  for  the 
redemption  of  his  soul,  a  hundred  talents,  and  a 
thousand  and  seven  hundred  and  seventy  and  five 
shekels,  of  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary.  A  drachma  for 
(each)  head,  a  half  shekel  of  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary, 
for  every  one  who  passed  to  the  numberments,  from 
twenty  years  and  upwards,  for  six  hundred  and  thirty 
thousand  and  five  hundred  and  fifty  (men).  And  there 
were  a  hundred  talents  of  silver  for  casting  the  bases  of 
the  sanctuary,  and  the  bases  of  the  veil,  a  hundred 
bases,  answering  to  the  talents,  a  talent  for  a  base. 
And  with  the  thousand  and  seven  hundred  and  seventy 
and  five  shekels,  he  made  hooks  for  the  pillars,  and  the 
overlaying  of  their  capitals  and  their  rods.  And  the 
brass  of  the  oblation  was  seventy  talents,  and  two  thou¬ 
sand  and  four  hundred  shekels.  And  he  made  with  it 
the  bases  of  the  gate  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance, 
and  the  brasen  altar,  and  the  brasen  grate  for  it,  and  all 
the  vessels  of  the  altar.  And  the  bases  of  the  court 
round  about,  and  the  bases  of  the  gate  of  the  court,  and 
all  the  pins  of  the  tabernacle,  and  all  the  pins  of  the 
court  round  about. 

XXXIX.  And  of  the  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  they  made  the  vestments  of  ministration,  to 
minister  in  the  sanctuary.  And  they  made  the  holy 
vestments  of  Aharon  the  priest,  as  the  Lord  had  com¬ 
manded  Mosheh.  And  he  made  the  ephoda  of  gold. 


ON  EXODUS. 


573 


XXXIX.] 

hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  fine  linen  twined.  And  they 
beat  out  the  plates  of  gold,  and  cut  them  into  threads 
to  inwork  with  the  hyacinth,  and  the  purple,  and  the 
crimson,  and  the  fine  linen,  the  work  of  the  artificer. 
Shoulderpieces  made  they  for  it  conjoined;  upon  its 
two  sides  were  they  conjoined.  And  its  ordered  band 8 
that  was  upon  it  was  of  the  same  ;  it  was  according  to 
its  work,  of  gold,  hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson, 
and  fine  linen  twined,  even  as  the  Lord  had  commanded 
Mosheh.  And  they  wrought  the  jewels  of  onyx, 
enchased,  set,  inwrought,  graved  with  graven  waiting, 
setting  forth  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel.  And  he 
set  them  on  the  shoulders  of  the  ephoda,  as  stones  of 
memorial  for  the  sons  of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Mosheh. 

And  he  made  the  Breastplate,  the  work  of  the  arti¬ 
ficer,  according  to  the  work  of  the  ephoda,  of  gold, 
hyacinth,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  fine  linen 
twined.  Foursquare  was  it;  doubled  they  made  the 
breastplate,  a  span  its  length,  and  a  span  its  breadth. 
[Jerusalem.  A  palm  its  length,  and  a  palm  its 
breadth,  doubled.]  And  they  filled  it  with  four  rows 
of  precious  gems,  ( margalyan ,)  corresponding  with  the 
four  corners  of  the  world.  The  first  rowr,  carnelian, 
topaz,  and  carbuncle,  row  one  :  and  upon  them  were 
engraven  and  expressed  the  names  of  three  tribes, 
Beuben,  Shimeon,  and  Levi.  And  the  name  of  the 
second  row,  smaragd,  and  sapphire,  and  chalcedony  : 
and  upon  them  was  inscribed  and  set  forth  the  name 
of  three  tribes,  Jehudah,  Dan,  and  Naphtali.  And 
the  name  of  the  third  row,  figure,  agate,  and  amethyst : 
and  upon  them  inscribed  and  set  forth  the  name  of 
three  tribes,  Gad,  Asher,  and  Issakar.  And  the  name 
of  the  fourth  row,  chrysolite,  and  onyx,  and  jasper :  and 
8  Or,  “  girdle  of  ordination.” 


574  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

upon  them  inscribed  and  set  forth  the  name  of  three 
tribes,  Zebulon,  Joseph,  and  Benjamin :  enchased  and 
set  in  gold  in  their  infillings.  And  the  gems  were 
according  to  the  names  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  twelve, 
according  to  their  names;  the  writing  engraven,  in¬ 
scribed,  and  set  forth  as  the  engraving  of  a  ring ;  each 
man's  gem  according  to  his  name  in  the  twelve  tribes. 
And  they  made  upon  the  breastplate  wreathen  chains, 
entwined  work,  of  pure  gold.  And  they  made  two 
sockets  of  gold,  and  two  golden  rings,  and  set  the  two 
rings  on  the  two  sides  of  the  breastplate.  And  they  put 
the  two  entwinements  of  gold  within  the  two  rings  upon 
the  two  sides  of  the  breastplate,  and  the  two  chains  that 
were  arranged  on  the  two  sides  they  fastened  upon  the 
two  sockets,  and  set  them  on  the  shoulders  of  the 
eplioda,  toward  its  front.  And  they  made  two  golden 
rings,  and  set  them  upon  the  two  sides  of  the  breast¬ 
plate,  upon  its  edge,  that  was  on  the  border  of  the 
ephod  inward.  And  they  made  two  golden  rings,  and 
arranged  them  upon  the  two  shoulders  of  the  ephod 
below,  toward  its  front,  over  against  the  place  of  con- 
joinment  above  the  band  of  the  ephod,  and  fitted  the 
breastplate  by  its  rings  to  the  rings  of  the  ephod  by  a 
ribbon  of  hyacinth,  that  it  might  adhere  to  the  band  of 
the  ephod,  and  that  the  breastplate  be  not  loosened 
from  being  upon  the  ephod,  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Mosheh. 

And  he  made  the  mantle-robe,  a  work  of  the  weaver, 
of  twined  thread  of  hyacinth.  And  the  aperture  of  the 
upper  robe  (was)  double  in  the  midst,  like  the  opening  of 
a  piece  of  armour,  with  a  border  round  about  its  edge,  that 
it  might  not  be  torn.  And  they  made  upon  the  bottom 
of  the  upper  robe  pomegranates  of  hyacinth,  and  purple, 
and  crimson,  and  (fine  linen)  entwined.  And  they  made 
golden  bells,  and  set  the  bells  among  the  pomegranates 


XXXIX.]  ON  EXODUS.  575 

upon  the  border  of  the  mantle-robe,  round  about  among 
the  pomegranates ;  a  bell  and  a  pomegranate,  a  bell  and 
a  pomegranate,  all  of  them  seventy  upon  the  bottom  of 
the  upper  robe  round  about  to  minister  in ;  as  the  Lord 
commanded  Mosheh. 

And  they  made  the  plate  of  the  crown  of  holiness  of 
pure  gold,  and  wrote  upon  it,  inscribed,  engraven,  and 
set  forth,  HOLINESS  TO  THE  LORD.  And  they 
set  upon  it  a  twined  ribbon  of  hyacinth,  to  put  it  upon 
the  tiara  above  the  forehead ;  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Mosheh. 

And  all  the  work  of  the  tabernacle,  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance,  was  completed  :  and  the  sons  of  Israel  did  as 
the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh,  so  did  they.  And  they 
brought  the  tabernacle  to  Mosheh  at  his  house  of 
instruction,  (leth  Midrash,)  where  sat  Mosheh,  and 
Aharon,  and  his  sons,  where  he  gave  direction  to  them 
concerning  the  order  of  the  priesthood ;  and  there  (also) 
sat  the  elders  of  Israel.  And  they  brought  to  him  the 
tabernacle  and  all  its  vessels ;  its  taches,  its  boards,  its 
bars,  its  pillars,  and  its  bases ;  and  the  covering  of 
reddened  rams'  skins,  and  the  covering  of  purple  skins, 
and  the  veil  that  was  to  be  spread ;  and  the  ark  of  the 
testimony,  and  its  staves,  and  the  mercy  seat,  and  the 
kernbaia  produced  of  beaten  work  of  the  same,  the  one 
here,  and  the  other  there ;  and  the  table,  and  all  its  ves¬ 
sels,  and  the  bread  of  faces ;  and  the  candelabrum,  and 
its  lamps,  the  lamps  of  order,  which  were  ordained  to 
correspond  to  the  seven  stars,  that  rule  in  their  pre¬ 
scribed  places  in  the  firmament  by  day  and  by  night ; 
and  the  oil  for  the  lights,  and  the  golden  altar,  and  the 
consecration  oil,  and  the  sweet  incense,  and  the  hanging 
for  the  door  of  the  tabernacle ;  and  the  brasen  altar,  and 
its  brasen  grate,  and  its  staves,  and  all  its  utensils ;  and 
the  laver,  and  its  base ;  the  curtain-work  of  the  court, 


576  TAUGUM  OF  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

and  its  pillars,  and  tlie  bases,  and  the  veil  of  the  gate  of 
the  court,  its  cords,  and  pins,  and  all  the  vessels  for  the 
service  of  the  tabernacle,  even  the  tabernacle  of  ordi¬ 
nance  ;  and  the  vestments  of  ministration  for  minister¬ 
ing  in  the  sanctuary,  the  holy  vestments  of  Aharon  the 
priest,  and  the  vestments  of  his  sons,  to  minister. 
According  to  all  that  the  Lord  had  commanded 
Mosheh,  so  had  the  sons  of  Israel  made  all  the  ser¬ 
vice.  And  Mosheh  surveyed  all  the  service,  and, 
behold,  they  had  made  it  as  the  Lord  had  commanded, 
so  had  they  made  it.  And  Mosheh  blessed  them,  and 
said,  May  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord  dwell  within  the 
work  of  your  hands  ! 

XL.  And  the  Lord  spake  with  Mosheh,  saying,  On 
the  day  of  the  first  month,  that  is  the  month  of  Nisan, 
on  the  first  of  the  month,  thou  shalt  rear  up  the  taber¬ 
nacle,  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance.  And  thou  shalt  set 
there  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  and  overlay  the  ark  with 
the  mercy  seat.  And  thou  shalt  bring  in  the  table  on 
the  north  side,  because  from  thence  are  given  riches ;  for 
from  thence  distil  the  drops  of  the  latter  rain  upon  the 
herbs,  for  the  food  of  the  inhabiters  of  the  world  ;  and 
thou  shalt  arrange  its  orders,  two  rows  of  bread,  com¬ 
prising  six  cakes  in  a  row,  answering  to  the  tribes  of 
Jakob.  And  thou  shalt  bring  in  the  candelabrum,  on 
the  south  side,  because  there  are  the  paths  of  the  sun 
and  of  the  moon,  and  the  pathways  of  the  luminaries ; 
and  thence  are  the  treasures  of  the  wisdom  which 
resembleth  the  light.  And  thou  shalt  kindle  the  seven 
lamps,  corresponding  to  the  seven  stars  which  resemble 
the  just,  who  shine  unto  eternity  in  their  righteousness. 
And  thou  shalt  place  the  golden  altar  for  sweet  incense 
before  the  ark  of  the  testimony  ;  because  the  wise  who  arc 
diligent  in  the  law  have  a  perfume  fragrant  as  the  sweet 
incense.  And  thou  shalt  set  the  veil  at  the  gate  of  the 


ON  EXODUS. 


577 


XL.] 

tabernacle ;  because  the  righteous  so  covereth  with  their 
righteousness  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel.  And 
thou  shalt  place  the  altar  of  burnt  offering  before  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance ;  because  the  rich, 
who  spread  the  table  before  their  doors  and  feed  the 
poor,  shall  have  their  sins  forgiven  what  time  they  make 
the  offering  upon  the  altar.  And  thou  shalt  place  the 
laver  between  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance  and  the  altar, 
and  put  water  therein  for  the  sins  of  such  as  convert  by 
repentance,  and  pour  off  their  perversity  like  water. 
And  thou  shalt  place  the  court  round  about,  because  of 
the  merit  of  the  fathers  of  the  world,  which  encom- 
passeth  the  people  of  the  house  of  Israel  round  about. 
And  thou  shalt  set  the  hanging  of  the  gate  of  the  court 
on  account  of  the  merit  of  the  mothers  of  the  world, 
which  spreadeth  at  the  gate  of  Gehennam,  that  none 
may  enter  there  of  the  souls  of  the  children  of  the  peo¬ 
ple  of  Israel.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  consecration-oil, 
and  anoint  the  tabernacle,  and  all  that  is  therein,  and 
shalt  sanctify  it,  on  account  of  the  crown  of  the  kingdom 
of  the  house  of  Jehudah,  and  of  the  King  Meshiha,  who 
is  to  redeem  Israel  at  the  end  of  the  days.  And  thou 
shalt  anoint  the  altar  of  burnt  offering,  and  all  its  ves¬ 
sels,  and  consecrate  the  altar,  that  it  may  be  an  altar 
most  holy,  on  account  of  the  crown  of  the  priesthood  of 
Aharon,  and  his  sons,  and  of  Elijah,  the  great  Priest 
who  is  to  be  sent  at  the  end  of  the  captivity.  And  thou 
shalt  anoint  the  laver,  and  its  base,  and  consecrate  it,  on 
account  of  Jehoshua  thy  minister,  chief  of  the  sanhedrin 
of  his  people ;  by  whose  hand  the  land  of  Israel  is  to  be 
partitioned :  and  of  Meshiha  bar  Ephraim,  who  shall 
spring  from  him,  by  whose  hand  the  house  of  Israel  is 
to  vanquish  Gog  and  his  confederates  at  the  end  of  the 
days. 


c  c 


578  TARGUM  OP  PALESTINE  [CHAP. 

And  thou  shalt  bring  Aharon  and  his  sons  to  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  and  wash  them  with 
water,  and  clothe  Aharon  with  the  holy  vestments,  and 
anoint  him,  and  consecrate  him  ;  that  he  may  minister 
before  Me.  And  his  sons  thou  shalt  bring  near,  and 
dress  them  with  tunics,  and  anoint  them,  as  thou  didst 
anoint  their  father,  that  they  may  minister  before  Me ; 
and  their  consecration  shall  be  for  a  perpetual  priesthood 
in  their  generations. 

And  Mosheh  did  all  that  the  Lord  commanded,  so  did 
he.  And  it  was  in  the  first  month,  that  is,  the  month 
Nisan,  in  the  second  year,  in  the  first  of  the  month,  that 
he  reared  up  the  tabernacle.  And  Mosheh  reared  the 
tabernacle,  and  placed  its  bases,  and  set  its  boards,  and 
placed  its  bars,  and  reared  its  pillars.  And  he  spread 
the  tent  over  the  tabernacle,  and  placed  the  covering  of 
the  tabernacle  upon  it  above,  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Mosheh.  And  he  took  the  two  tables  of  stone,  the 
tables  of  the  covenant  which  were  given  to  him  in 
Horeb,  and  set  them  up  for  a  sign  in  the  House  of 
Instruction  :  they  are  the  tables  of  the  testimony.  And 
the  broken  tables  (he  deposited)  in  the  ark.  And  he 
set  the  staves  in  the  ark,  and  placed  the  mercy  seat, 
with  the  kerubaia  that  were  produced  for  it  of  beaten 
work,  upon  the  ark  above.  And  he  brought  the  ark 
into  the  tabernacle,  and  set  the  veil  of  the  covering,  and 
shadowed  there  with  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  as  the 
Lord  commanded  Mosheh. 

And  he  placed  the  table  in  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance, 
at  the  side  of  the  tabernacle  northward  without  the  veil, 
and  set  in  order  upon  it  the  rows  of  bread  before  the 
Lord,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  [Jerusalem. 
And  he  set  in  order  upon  it  the  order  of  the  bread  of 
faces  before  the  Lord.]  And  he  placed  the  candelabrum 


ON  EXODUS. 


XL.]  ON  EXODUS.  579 

in  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  over  against  the  table 
upon  the  side  of  the  tabernacle  southward,  and 
kindled  the  lamps  before  the  Lord,  as  the  Lord  com¬ 
manded  Mosheh.  And  he  set  the  golden  altar  in  the 
tabernacle  of  ordinance  before  the  veil,  and  burned  sweet 
incense  upon  it,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  And 
he  set  the  hanging  at  the  gate  of  the  tabernacle.  And 
the  altar  of  burnt  offering  he  placed  at  the  gate  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  offered  thereon  the  burnt  offering  and 
the  oblation,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mosheh.  And  he 
set  the  laver  upon  its  foundation  between  the  tabernacle  * 
of  ordinance  and  the  altar,  and  put  living  water  therein 
for  purification,  that  it  may  not  fail,  nor  become  corrupt 
all  the  days.  And  Mosheh,  and  Aharon,  and  his  sons, 
took  from  it  for  their  ablutions,  and  sanctified  there¬ 
with  their  hands  and  their  feet;  at  the  time  they 
entered  into  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  or  approached 
unto  the  altar,  they  purified  themselves,  as  the  Lord 
commanded  Mosheh.  And  he  reared  up  the  court 
round  about  the  tabernacle  and  the  altar,  and  placed  the 
hanging  which  was  for  the  gate  of  the  tabernacle.  And 
Mosheh  completed  the  work. 

Then  the  Cloud  of  Glory  overspread  the  tabernacle  of 
ordinance,  and  the  glory  of  the  Shekinah  of  the  Lord 
filled  the  tabernacle.  And  Mosheh  was  not  able  to 
enter  the  tabernacle  of  ordinance,  because  the  Cloud  of 
Glory  rested  upon  it,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord's 
Shekinah  filled  the  tabernacle. 

At  the  time  when  the  Cloud  of  Glory  ascended  from 
the  tabernacle,  the  sons  of  Israel  went  forward  in  all  their 
journeys ;  but  if  the  Cloud  of  Glory  went  not  up,  they 
did  not  go  forward  until  the  day  when  it  ascended.  For 
the  Cloud  of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  overspread  the  taber¬ 
nacle  by  day,  and  (as)  a  column  of  fire  it  gave  light  in 
2  c  2 


580  TARGUM  OF  PALESTINE  ON  EXODUS. 

the  night,  that  all  the  sons  of  Israel  might  see  in  all 
their  journeys.  [Jerusalem.  Because  the  Cloud  of  the 
Glory  of  the  Lord's  Shekinah  overspread  the  tabernacle 
by  day,  and  a  fire  shined  upon  it  all  the  nights ;  all  the 
sons  of  Israel  seeing  in  all  their  journeys.] 


END  OF  THE  PALESTINIAN  TARGUM 
ON  THE  SEPHER  SHEMOTH. 


LONDON:  PRINTED  B¥  WILLIAM  NICHOLS,  46,  HOXTON  SQUARE. 


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